Anrich Nortje received the highest accolade from Cricket South Africa (CSA) as he won the Cricketer of the Year award in the men’s category at CSA's annual awards on Monday (May 31).
The traditional award ceremony was not possible for the second successive year due to COVID-19. Therefore, CSA conducted a virtual award ceremony.
Nortje, 27, also clinched the Test Cricketer of the Year, South Africa Fans' Cricketer of the Year honours and shared in a tied vote with Aiden Markram for the South Africa Men's Players' Player of the Year.
On the other hand, fast bowler Shabnim Ismail bagged the Cricketer of the Year and T20I cricketer of the Year awards in the women’s category. Shabnim was also named South Africa women's Players' Player of the Year.
"Anrich and Shabnim have set the highest standards that we expect from our icon Proteas players. Anrich's international career to date has been remarkable," said CSA acting chief executive Pholetsi Moseki in an official statement.
"In the space of a year he has gone from being named our International Newcomer of the Year to our overall Player of the Year - an incredible achievement. The pandemic has restricted him to just 10 Test matches to date in which he has taken 39 wickets, including three five-wicket hauls," she added.
Nortje became the 12th player to win the premier men's award and created history by being named International Newcomer of the Year and Men's Cricketer of the Year in successive years.
"His strike rate of 48.50 is comfortably within the benchmark number that defines the world's leading bowlers; he has also delivered the fastest delivery ever of the Indian Premier League in which the cream of the world's talent goes head to head," said Moseki.
"Shabnim has played a huge role in enabling our Momentum Proteas to break into the top group of countries with a world ranking of No. 2 in the ODI format," she added.
Lizelle Lee won the Streetwise Award for her stunning century in the recently held ODI series against India. She also bagged the One-Day International Cricketer of the Year award.
In the men’s category, Rassie van der Dussen was honoured with the ODI Cricketer of the Year award while Tabraiz Shamsi earned T20 Cricketer of the Year and George Linde the Men's International Newcomer of the Year.
Ottniel Baartman was named as the inaugural winner of the Makhaya Ntini Power of Cricket Award.
(With ANI inputs)
