Australian cricket honours top stars at glitzy Allan Border Medal ceremony

Cricket Australia paid tribute to its best performers of the past 12 months at a glamorous celebration at Melbourne's Crown Casino

The stars of Australian cricket shone bright as the country's best turned out for a glamorous Allan Border Medal ceremony on Monday.

Cricket Australia honoured its top performers of the past 12 months at a glitzy celebration at Melbourne's Crown Casino, with men's captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner, women's icon Ellyse Perry and Aussie legend Ricky Ponting among the names lit up in lights.

Smith won the Allan Border Medal and was named Test Player of the Year for the second time, beating off competition from Warner and Nathan Lyon with ease.

He becomes only the fifth Aussie cricketer to claim the night's most prestigious award on more than one occasion.

^{Ellyse Perry with the Belinda Clark Award}

“I’ve worked really hard on my game in the last few years ... for me throughout the summer I wasn’t hitting the ball as well as I’d like, but it’s gone to new levels in ways I didn’t think were imaginable,” Smith said.

Perry's outstanding year, during which she recorded the highest score ever by an Australian woman in making 213 not out against England, was recognised with the Belinda Clark Award.

Warner was named ODI Player of the Year, with Aaron Finch taking the gong for the T20 format.

THE WINNERS

Allan Border Medal - Steve Smith

Belinda Clark Award - Ellyse Perry

Test Player of the Year - Steve Smith

ODI Player of the Year - David Warner

Men’s Domestic Player of the Year - George Bailey

Female Domestic Player of the Year - Beth Mooney

T20 International Player of the Year - Aaron Finch

Betty Wilson young cricketer of the Year - Georgia Redmayne

Bradman young cricketer of the Year - Jhye Richardson

Hall of Fame - Ricky Ponting, Karen Rolton, Norm O'Neill

On the domestic front, George Bailey was men's Player of the Year and Beth Mooney the women's.

Meanwhile, three heroes of yesteryear were inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Karen Rolton, the two-time World Cup winner, was joined as an inductee by Norm O'Neill and Ponting, who revealed he still has the itch to pull on the Baggy Green.

“Every now and again I dream about making a comeback,” Ponting said.

“It’s kind of like that dream you have as a kid where you turn up to school naked.”

^{Steve Smith was the big winner on the night}