David Warner says his Ashes series was horrendous despite being named Australia's top cricketer
Tuesday 11 February 2020 07:58, UK
David Warner has described his Ashes series as "horrendous" despite being named Australia’s top cricketer in the country’s annual cricket awards.
Although Australia retained the urn, the 33-year-old could only muster 95 runs in 10 innings as well as claiming an unwanted record of being the first opening batsman in any Test series to be out for eight single digit scores.
However, Warner did score 647 runs at an average of 71.88 at the World Cup and 786 at 131 in five Tests over the domestic summer.
That proved enough to pick up the top accolade at the Australian Cricket Awards, less than two years after being caught ball-tampering against South Africa.
"I had an absolutely horrendous Ashes. I didn't really think I was a chance," said Warner, who also won the prize in 2016 and 2017.
"I'm just extremely grateful to be accepted back by Cricket Australia and my peers and also be accepted by the fans.
"I had mixed emotions of how I was going to be received back here at home, but standing here today I'm just really proud to have that opportunity again."
Warner pipped former captain Steve Smith, who also served a one-year ban for his part in the ball-tampering scandal, by one vote at the ceremony in Melbourne on Monday night.
The pair both received bans for the scandal but with Australia struggling in their absence, were rushed back into the side for last year's World Cup and the Ashes series that followed.
Former Test vice-captain and Twenty20 skipper Warner is still banned from holding a leadership position in the international set-up but will be with the squad when Australia return to South Africa for a one-day series this month.
The women's prize, the Belinda Clark award, went to World Cricketer of the Year Ellyse Perry, also for the third time.
"I'm incredibly flattered," Perry, who is preparing for the Twenty20 World Cup which kicks off in Australia next week.
"You look at the contributions across the squad in the last 12 months, it's been incredible from so many players."
