State skipper Sam Whiteman and allrounder Amy Edgar were the toast of the WA Cricket Awards this evening, taking out the prestigious Laurie Sawle and Zoë Goss medals, respectively.
Whiteman earned his maiden Laurie Sawle medal after a dominant individual campaign which saw him captain WA to their third successive Marsh Sheffield Shield and One-Day Cup titles.
The classy left-hander was consistent atop the order in Shield cricket, amassing 770 runs at 40.52 including three centuries and two half-centuries.
This tally saw him finish third among the competition’s leaders, trailing only Tasmania’s Beau Webster (938 runs at 58.62) and teammate Cameron Bancroft (778 at 48.62).
Whiteman’s output in 50-over cricket was equally significant, striking 419 runs at 69.83, including a match-winning 137 not out against South Australia at the WACA Ground – his first ever century in List A cricket.
Highlighting the 32-year-old’s durability, Whiteman was the only WA player to feature in every Shield and One-Day Cup match in 2023-24.
Meanwhile, Twenty-six-year-old Edgar earned her second Zoë Goss Medal, which rewards performances in the Women’s National Cricket League and Weber Women’s Big Bash League to crown WA’s most influential female player that season.
After claiming the award for the first time in 2021-22, She becomes the fourth WA Woman to win the award on multiple occasions, following in the footsteps of past players Rene Farrell (2008-09,2009-10), Heather Graham (2016-17, 2018-19) and Nicole Bolton (2012-13,2013-14,2015-16,2019-20,2020-21).
Edgar was also named WA’s WNCL Player of the Year after a strong season in the 50-over format, with her ability to provide match-winning contributions with both bat and ball helping a young and exuberant WA side to a third-place finish.
Showing a perfect blend of power and skill, the dynamic allrounder finished with 227 runs at 28.37 and 17 wickets at 24.05 across a fruitful WNCL campaign.
WBBL|09 represented a breakout tournament for Edgar, ending as the team’s leading wicket-taker with 20 at 16.1 including a best of 4-19, with an impressive economy of 6.75.
Her on-field exploits saw her earn selection in the WBBL Team of the Tournament for the first time, alongside teammates Sophie Devine, Beth Mooney, and Chloe Ainsworth.
Opener D’Arcy Short earned One-Day Player of the Year honours for an excellent all-round season that yielded 238 runs at 29.75 – including a season-defining century against Tasmania – and six wickets at 31.16.
Swing bowler Joel Paris claimed the Four-Day Player of the Year Award, after producing a career-best season as part of WA’s triumphant Sheffield Shield squad.
As the leader of the pace attack, Paris finished with 39 wickets at a miserly average of 15.2, including an 11-wicket masterclass against South Australia at Adelaide Oval.
Captain and New Zealand superstar Sophie Devine was recognised as Perth Scorchers’ most impactful WBBL player during WBBL|09, after a destructive allround season with bat (489 runs at 37.62, strike rate 140.92) and ball (14 wickets at 24.85).
Star allrounder Aaron Hardie (337 runs at 37.11, strike rate 127.96) claimed the Simon Katich Medal as Perth’s most influential male player, stamping his mark as one of the competition’s rising stars.
Hardie also took on captaincy duties for the first time following Ashton Turner’s season-ending knee injury, with the 25-year-old showcasing his tactical nous and calm demeanour when games were there to be won.
Wicketkeeper-batter Maddy Darke was rewarded for another outstanding WNCL season atop the order, earning Female Rising Star honours.
Darke’s 458 runs at 50.88 ranked sixth best in the competition, with her five half-centuries across 12 innings only bettered by Victoria’s Meg Lanning (six).
The rising star also debuted in Scorchers colours this summer, playing all 15 matches and quickly establishing herself as a key cog in the batting lineup for years to come.
Jayden Goodwin’s breakthrough Sheffield Shield season saw him recognised as the Male Rising Star Award winner, with the young batter cementing himself as a vital part of WA’s title-winning Shield side.
The 22-year-old finished with 421 runs at 32.38 in 14 innings, including his maiden Shield century (115) against Queensland at the WACA Ground.
Experienced pair Piepa Cleary (Legacy Award) and Cameron Bancroft (Excalibur Award) were honoured for living by team values and making exceptionally positive contributions to squad culture.
Meantime, superstar allrounder Mitchell Marsh was recognised by media as WA’s most influential player on the international stage, taking home the Gold Cup following several match-winning performances for Australia’s Test, ODI and T20I teams.
During the 12-month voting period, Marsh plundered 346 runs at 69.2 in T20 Internationals, 858 runs at 47.66 in ODIs, and 750 runs at 46.88 in Tests.
Trailblazers George Parker and Bertha Rigg were formally inducted into the WA Cricket Gallery of Greats, acknowledged for their unique and impressive contributions to cricket in Western Australia.
WA Cricket also paid tribute to outgoing Chief Executive Officer Christina Matthews AM, who called time on her remarkable 12-year tenure at the helm.
Over her time at WA Cricket, Matthews has presided over a transformative and successful period that has made WA Cricket truly a sport for all.
AWARD WINNERS
Laurie Sawle Medal
1 – Sam Whiteman (140 votes)
2 – Cameron Bancroft (135 votes)
3 – Joel Paris (129 votes)
Zoë Goss Medal
1 – Amy Edgar (321 points)
2 – Sophie Devine (236 points)
3 – Beth Mooney (226 points)
Gold Cup – Mitchell Marsh
WA Domestic One-Day Player of The Year – D’Arcy Short
WA Domestic Four-Day Player of the Year – Joel Paris
WA WNCL Player of the Year – Amy Edgar
Simon Katich Medal – Aaron Hardie
Perth Scorchers WBBL Player of the Year – Sophie Devine
Male Rising Star – Jayden Goodwin
Female Rising Star – Maddy Darke
Excalibur Award – Cameron Bancroft
Legacy Award – Piepa Cleary
Gallery of Greats Inductees – George Parker, Bertha Rigg