Mercantile Mutual Cup awards announced
Lehmann and Young tie for Player of the Series, Oliver named Best New Talent
Southern Redbacks captain Darren Lehmann and Tasmanian Tigers all-rounder Shaun Young are joint winners of the 2000-01 Mercantile Mutual Cup Player of the Series, the Australian Cricket Board announced today.
Lehmann and Young will share the $5000 award, which was voted by umpires on a 3-2-1 basis after each game of the series. Both players also receive a trophy from Mercantile Mutual.
The pair polled 19 votes each, with the Victorian Bushrangers' Matthew Elliott and the Western Warriors' Murray Goodwin second placed on 14 votes. Tasmanian Tiger Jamie Cox and Western Warrior Simon Katich tied for third place, with 11 votes.
In his seven games, Lehmann (524 runs) was the highest run-scorer for the domestic one-day season, topping the Western Warriors' Murray Goodwin (496 runs) and Queensland Bull Jimmy Maher (383 runs). The 31-year old scored two centuries, including a highest score of 119 not out off only 88 balls against Victoria at the Adelaide Oval on 17 February. He also scored two fifties and was the competition's quickest run-scorer, finishing with a strike rate of 110.08 runs.
Lehmann, who is the all-time leading run-scorer of the domestic one-day competition (2249 runs), played well early in the season, his good form helping him gain Australian selection for the Carlton Series. The left-hander's string of scores continued through the one-day international competition - from his four innings he scored 197 runs at an average of 197, being dismissed just once.
Young had a very good all-round season. The left-hand batsman scored 203 runs at 25.38 with a highest score of 76 off 86 balls, against the Western Warriors in Hobart.
Bowling right-arm medium pace, Young claimed 13 wickets at 17.62, putting him in third spot on the list of highest wicket-takers. The 30-year old was the competition's most economical bowler, allowing an average of only 3.18 runs off each of his 72 overs this year. His best performance was against the Bulls at the `Gabba, where he took 3-16 off six overs.
On winning the award, Lehmann said:
"I'm delighted to have my good season recognised by this award. I'm pleased with the way I've played this year and I'm also happy to have Shaun Young named alongside me. He is a quality player who had a very good season.
"The Mercantile Mutual Cup matches helped me regain international selection and I was able to play well during the Carlton Series. I managed to put a decent run of scores together early in the season which certainly held me in good stead for the international one-dayers.
"It was disappointing the Redbacks couldn't get through to the final, especially as our form had been pretty good throughout the year."
Young said:
"To be the joint winner of the highest individual award in Mercantile Mutual Cup cricket is a true honour. Darren Lehmann is a class international player and he was brilliant at the domestic one-day level this year.
"I was pretty happy with my form this year. I managed to keep my bowling tidy and picked up some wickets along the way."
Ben Oliver named Best New Talent
Twenty-one year-old Victorian Bushrangers all-rounder Ben Oliver was today named the 2000-01 Mercantile Mutual Cup Best New Talent by a panel of domestic cricket media representatives.
Oliver receives $2500 and a trophy from Mercantile Mutual for his efforts.
In his second season for the Bushrangers, the right-arm medium pacer took five wickets at an average of 47 with an economy rate of 4.46 runs per over. His best bowling performance was 2-36 off eight overs in the Bushrangers' first game of the year against the Excell Blues at North Sydney Oval.
The right-hand batsman also scored 147 runs at 24.50 with a strike rate of 59.04. His highest score was 39 not out, against the Tasmanian Tigers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Oliver was excited upon receiving the news of the award.
"This award comes as a surprise and I certainly view it as a great honour," he said.
"I started the year pretty well but was a little disappointed that my form tailed off a bit towards the end. From a team perspective, we didn't perform as well as we would have liked, but we'll be looking to improve this next year.
"I hope my form will allow me to be part of a successful Victorian Bushrangers outfit in Mercantile Mutual Cup seasons to come."
Fastest Fifty prize still up for grabs
The $5000 Mercantile Mutual Cup Fastest Fifty award is still up for grabs in this Sunday's final between the Western Warriors and the Excell Blues at the WACA Ground.
Batsmen will have to top the Excell Blue's Don Nash, who scored a very quick 50 off 24 balls, against the Warriors at North Sydney on 4 February.
Lehmann has the second fastest 50 (37 balls), scored during his 63 against Warriors in Adelaide on 9 December. His team mate Mick Miller has the third fastest 50 (39 balls), which he notched up during his 82 not out against the Excell Blues again in Adelaide on 14 January.
Sunday's final is a clash between two successful domestic one-day teams.
A win for the Warriors will give them the first back-to-back win since the Excell Blues completed the feat in 1992-93 / 93-94.
The Warriors are also chasing a record 11th domestic one-day title. The Excell Blues have won five titles. This final will be the third that the Warriors have hosted in five years.
The Warriors and Blues have played four domestic one-day finals against each other, with two wins apiece.
The Warriors are undefeated at home this year, however they lost their last match to the Excell Blues on 4 February at North Sydney Oval.
The WACA Ground final starts at 10.30am, gates open at 9.30am. Tickets can be purchased at the gate.
Darrell Hair and Daryl Harper will officiate the match with Randolph Woolridge the third umpire and Ric Evans the match referee.
© 2001 Australian Cricket Board
| Teams | Australia. |
| Players/Umpires | Darren Lehmann, Shaun Young, Murray Goodwin, Jimmy Maher, Simon Katich, Jamie Cox, Ben Oliver. |
| Season | Australian Domestic Season |
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