Klinger sweeps South Australia awards

South Australia's captain Michael Klinger dominated the state's awards night on Friday, being named the Redbacks' best player in the Sheffield Shield and the Ryobi Cup, and the best Adelaide Strikers T20 player for the summer.

Klinger finished one vote ahead of Daniel Christian in the Lord Hampden Trophy, awarded to the state's best Sheffield Shield player, after a season in which he scored 835 runs at 46.38. The Redbacks had a disappointing Shield season, failing to win a match, although they had plenty of success in the Ryobi Cup.

South Australia took out the 50-over title for the first time in 25 years, with a tied home final against Tasmania. Klinger made 498 runs at 55.33 in the Ryobi Cup and ended up as the tournament's leading run scorer, so it was no surprise that he finished on 112 votes, ahead of Tom Cooper on 103 votes.

But Cooper, who had been named the Ryobi Cup Player of the Year at the annual State Cricket Awards in Brisbane, won the Barry Jarman Most Improved Trophy after a breakout season. In the Adelaide Strikers voting, Klinger finished one vote ahead of Johan Botha and Aaron O'Brien to be the team's best T20 player of the Big Bash League.