Australia all-rounder Mitchell Marsh beat Pat Cummins, Travis Head, and Steve Smith to bag the Allan Border Medal for the best Australian men’s cricket of the year 2023 at the Cricket Australia Awards on Wednesday in Melbourne.
Not many, including Marsh himself, had expected to get this award, but he beat Cummins comprehensively for this: Marsh received 223 votes, 79 more than Cummins.
The all-rounder got tearful as he thanked Pat Cummins along with head coach Andrew McDonald for believing in him and giving him the chance to revive his Test career.
After receiving the award from Allan Border, Mitchell Marsh cracked a couple of jokes in his speech. He got emotional when speaking to Cummins, expressing his gratitude for his support to him after he underwent a surgery at the start of the year.
“I really hadn’t really thought about it until a few of the boys started getting stuck into me that they thought I was going to win it, and then I started thinking maybe I’m a chance. I had four beers at lunch so had better stop there,” Marsh said.
“To Ronny (McDonald) and Patty (Cummins), you believed in me and I can’t thank you enough. I’m a bit fat at times and I love a beer but you see the best in me always and you’ve changed my life. For your support and your leadership, Patty, playing under you is a dream,” he added.
Watch: Allan Border Medal winner Mitchell Marsh gets emotional as he thanks Pat Cummins for support
“I’m a bit fat at times and I love a beer…”
Mitch Marsh’s acceptance speech had it all! #AusCricketAwards pic.twitter.com/E98c88wU4j
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 31, 2024
Mitchell Marsh had established himself in Australia’s white-ball teams by the start of 2023, however, as he dreamt of another comeback to the Test team, Marsh decided to undergo ankle surgery in January 2023 to keep himself fit by the time for the Ashes 2023 mid-year in England.
That plan worked to the tee for him. He got the chance in the 3rd Ashes Test after Cameron Green picked a hamstring injury, and Marsh rattled off a sensational run-a-ball 118 at Headingley. He later scored 441 runs at an average of 49 during the World Cup 2023, with two centuries.
From January 22, 2023, to January 9, 2024, which is the voting period, Mitchell Marsh scored 594 runs in 6 Tests at an average of 66, and 858 runs at 47 in ODIs. He also walloped a couple of T20I half-centuries in three innings.
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