WA Quartet earn honours at Australian Cricket Awards

A quartet of Western Australians have been celebrated for their on-field excellence over the 2024 calendar year by claiming awards at the Australian Cricket Awards tonight.

Superstar opener Beth Mooney was named as the T20I Player of the Year following an outstanding 12 months in the game’s shortest format.

The classy left-hander compiled 451 runs at 41 at an impressive strike-rate of 128.12, with her consistency at the top of the order seeing her finish as Australia’s highest run-scorer during the voting period.

Mooney constructed three half-centuries in 14 innings, including a highest score of 94 not out in her most T20I against England at Adelaide Oval.

The 31-year-old produced her best form against the old enemy in the recently completed Ashes series, blasting 213 runs from three T20I innings as Australia ran out victors in all three matches.

Her form carried on into the remaining formats, with Mooney breaking the record for the most ever runs scored (409 at 68.16) by a woman in a multi-format Ashes series.

Mooney also struck her maiden Test century at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, earning her name on the Ground’s famous honour board and becoming the first Australian woman to score a ton across all three international formats.

Meanwhile, rising star Cooper Connolly was highlighted for his breakout campaign for Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League by being named as the joint Big Bash League Player of the Tournament alongside Melbourne Stars allrounder Glenn Maxwell.

Connolly’s maturity and match-winning ability shone during a season which saw him finish as the BKT Golden Bat Award winner with 351 runs at 50.14 at a strike rate of 131.46 and included in the Team of the Tournament for the first time.

His consistency across the season was a real feature, striking two half-centuries and passing 30 on seven occasions in ten innings. 

The stylish left-hander was afforded increased responsibility in the Scorchers batting order this season following the unavailability of regulars Josh Inglis (Test Squad) and Aaron Hardie (Injury), moving up to number three after spending the early part of his career in a late order ‘finisher’ role.

His ability to contribute across all three facets of the game also reached new heights, with his left-arm spin contributing six wickets at 29.16 across ten matches while regularly being one of the Scorchers best outfielders.

Connolly’s form in BBL|14 saw him rewarded with selection in the Australian Test squad on their tour to Sri Lanka, where he is a chance to make his debut in the two-test series.

Teenage sensation Chloe Ainsworth has capped off another brilliant summer for Perth Scorchers and WA, by claiming the Betty Wilson Young Cricketer of the Year Award.

The 19-year-old finished WBBL|10 with 12 wickets at 18.58 in ten matches, with her wicket-tally seeing her finish second among seamers for wickets.

An economy of 5.86 runs per over was a competition best, with no other bowler who bowled more than 15 overs finishing with an economy below six.

Her ability to take key wickets in the Powerplay often got the Scorchers off to a great start, with no bowler striking as often as the teenager with the fielding restrictions in place.

The Melville product also performed strongly for WA in the Women’s National Cricket League, impressing with her raw pace and late-order batting ability.

Ainsworth’s performances saw her selected for Australia in the recent ICC U19s Women’s World Cup side, where she featured in all five matches as Australia fell at the Semi-Final stage.

Rounding out the award winners for the evening was WA allrounder Cameron Green, who was presented the Community Impact Award for his dedication to the Chronic Disease cause.

Green has been a leading Ambassador for Kidney Health Australia and has been on the front foot in sharing his own journey with kidney disease. His tireless efforts continue to raise awareness among the general public while educating audiences of all ages who have never previously considered the condition or been tested.

Quotes attributable to WA Cricket CEO John Stephenson: 

“We’re incredibly proud to celebrate the achievements of Beth, Cooper, Chloe and Cameron.

“Beth continues to perform remarkably well for Australia across all three formats, but her consistency in the game’s shortest format continues to stand out. Her high-quality performances come as no great surprise, and it’s wonderful to see her rewarded.

“Cooper has burst onto the scene over the past couple of years and we have been incredibly excited about the amount of talent he has. His maturity to step up and bat number three for the Scorchers this season and contribute consistently was brilliant to watch. A hugely deserving winner.

“Chloe is another one of our highly touted younger players, and her contributions for WA and the Scorchers over the past 12 months have been significant. She plays the game with passion and energy, and she has a drive to improve her game every time she takes the field. It’s pleasing to see her efforts recognised, and I can’t wait to watch her future in the game.

“We are absolutely thrilled to see Cameron awarded the Community Impact Award for his tireless devotion in spreading awareness about the Chronic Kidney Disease cause. He’s been incredibly brave in sharing his own battles, and for that we are overwhelmingly proud of him."