Laura Wolvaardt, Marco Jansen bag top honours at Cricket South Africa (CSA) annual awards

Johannesburg: South Africa women’s team captain Laura Wolvaardt emerged as the big winner at the CSA Annual Awards, taking home five prizes, including Women’s Player of the Year, after a fantastic 2023-24 season. She not only took on the leadership role permanently but was also South Africa’s top run-scorer in ODIs and T20Is during the season. Wolvaardt was named Women’s ODI Player of the Year and Women’s T20I Player of the Year. She also won Players’ Player of the Year and Fans’ Player of the Year awards.

Bowling all-rounder Marco Jansen was named Men’s Player of the Year for his all-round contributions, including 17 wickets at the ODI World Cup and standout performances with both bat and ball in the Boxing Day Test against India. The awards covered achievements from May 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024, meaning performances at June’s Men’s T20 World Cup and the Test and T20I series in the West Indies will only be considered for next year.

The awards are held in September, rather than May, because CSA’s sponsors need all contracted players to attend, which wasn’t possible in May due to the IPL.

Middle order batter David Bedingham was recognised for his debut performances, scoring 56 against India and two big scores in New Zealand. He was also named International Newcomer of the Year.

In white-ball formats, Quinton de Kock, who has retired from 50-over cricket, won the ODI Player of the Year award for his four centuries at the 2023 World Cup. Reeza Hendricks was named T20I Player of the Year, being the only South African batter to hit a half-century during the season.

Keshav Maharaj, who made a miraculous early recovery from an Achilles injury to play in the ODI World Cup, was voted Players’ Player of the Year by his peers.

Two key awards went to female cricketers. Marizanne Kapp’s inswinger that bowled Beth Mooney during South Africa’s ODI win over Australia was named the Best Delivery, while Masabata Klaas received the Makhaya Ntini Power of Cricket Award. Klaas, a single mother, was recognised for overcoming challenges and building a career in cricket. This is the first time the Makhaya Ntini award, which honours players who rise above adversity, has been won by a female cricketer. IANS

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