Redesigned Belinda Clark Award unveiled

The winner of this year’s Belinda Clark Award will be sporting a new-look prize when the Crown Lager AB Medal Night is held on Monday.

For the first time, Australia’s top women’s international cricketer will be presented with a medallion rather than the three-stump trophy awarded in previous years, with Cricket Australia unveiling the redesigned, teardrop-shaped medallion on Saturday.

Now in its 16th year, the Belinda Clark Award is named after the former Australian Captain and cricketing legend and is based on the votes of peers, umpires and team officials for each match Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars match played during the award period.

"There is a strong tradition of recognising performances in the Australian team, however, what we were seeking was to create was something distinct and unique that recognised the level of performance that was being obtained,” three-time World Cup winner Clark said.

"Similarly to the Allan Border Medal with its own look and feel, it’s appropriate that this award also has its own identity and we’re really excited with what we’ve come up with.”

According to Clark, the newly designed Award needed to depict three key values. 

"There were three things that were absolutely critical as the redesign was taking place, and that was the redesigned award recognised performance, teamwork and respect.”

Skilfully crafted by renowned Australian silversmith Flynn Silver, the Award features a unique ‘XI Plus One’ silver lanyard, capturing the eleven players who take the field each match plus a symbolic ‘12^th man’ representing the significant support provided to players since the start of their playing careers as young girls, as well as prominent positioning of the Southern Cross, celebrating its long term association with the Australian Women’s Cricket team, most notably through its nickname, the Southern Stars.

To commemorate the occasion, CA collaborated with Melbourne-based international fashion illustrator and author Megan Hess to produce an iconic image featuring the Award.

"Cricket is something that I grew up with and loved from afar,” Hess said.

"To be able to connect my work in illustration with such a prestigious award offered such a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the focus, dedication, strength and inspiration of the incredible women who represent our country, in cricket and beyond."

Australia skipper Meg Lanning and allrounder Ellyse Perry are the favourites to take out the 2017 Belinda Clark Award.

Perry is the reigning winner, while Lanning has won on two previous occasions, in 2014 and 2015.

The announcement of the redesigned Belinda Clark Award follows two recently announced awards for Australia’s female cricketers, the Betty Wilson Young Player of the Year Award and the Domestic Player of the Year award, which will also be presented on Monday.

The awards ceremony will be broadcast live by the Nine Network on 9GEM from 7.30pm and will also be streamed live on cricket.com.au.