No Ducks for 2023

[noducksallowed]

It's the end of the year and everyone's going to be making lists, ranking etc etc etc.

As you all know, I am the "no ducks given" poster, so I have created an end of year honours list. Categories and criteria below.

The awards categories are:

Test

• Test Batsman of the Year
• Test Bowler of the Year
• Test Wicket-Keeper of the Year
• Test All-Rounder of the Year
• Test Captain of the Year
• Overall Test Cricketer of the Year
• World Test XI

ODI

• ODI Batsman of the Year
• ODI Bowler of the Year
• ODI Wicket-Keeper of the Year
• ODI All-Rounder of the Year
• ODI Captain of the Year
• Overall ODI Cricketer of the Year
• World ODI XI

Cross-Format Batsman of the Year
Cross-Format Bowler of the Year
Cross-FormatWicket-Keeper of the Year
Cross-Format All-Rounder of the Year

Overall Cricketer of the Year

Edit: I may also add in an award for what I thought was the best Test and ODI for the year but that's going to require a bit more of a review so it may be some time.

My criteria to be included for consideration:

1. Minimum of 3 tests in the calendar year.
2. Minimum of 10 ODIs in the calendar year.
3. For batsmen: Minimum of 200 Test runs (similarly for the ODI award).
4. For bowlers: Minimum 10 wickets in Tests (similarly for ODI award).

For all-rounders and keepers, points 3 and 4 are not relevant but must still abide by points 1 and 2.
Once a player is eligible, they are ranked and awarded on their scores/wickets/dismissals, the quality of opposition, the impact of the performance, the opposition they performed against and considering the World Cup year, how well they did in the tournament not only from a statistical standpoint but also impact on games and helping their team progress.

The Winner: Test Batsman of 2023
Usman Khawaja - impossible to look beyond the resurgent "Uzzy". He has hit a new high in his return and is arguably the best opening bat on the planet when it comes to test cricket. His near double against South Africa was exceptional, considering how early his partner had fallen. Another memorable and possibly better innings came in Ahmedabad, as all around him were losing their heads, he played a match saving 180.
Runners up: Steve Smith & Kane Williamson.

The Winner: Test Bowler of 2023
Pat Cummins - captain fantastic has been remarkable for a few years now but ending the year with a 10-fer against a game Pakistan side, in a topsy turvy test, being instrumental if not quite at his best in the Ashes but topping the wicket taking charts against old foe South Africa all lay the foundation for a well deserved win.
Runners up: Nathan Lyon & Mitchell Starc.

The Winner: Test Wicket-Keeper of 2023
Alex Carey - a keeper no one notices...is the best type of wicket-keeper. Quietly confident, exceptionally skilled and athletic behind the stumps, Carey is an all round keeper of the highest calibre. He has lacked with the bat this year but 54 dismissals in just 13 games is phenomenal.
Runners up: Joshua Da Silva & Johnny Bairstow.

The Winner: Test All-Rounder of 2023
Ravindra Jadeja - Jadeja has created a niche for himself in the India side that looks almost impossible to replace at this moment in time. A more than handy lower order, left handed batsman who bowls beautifully when conditions suit him. He had a very good year and dug in for India usually when they needed him.
Runners up: Agha Salman & Tim Southee.

The Winner: Test Captain of 2023
Pat Cummins - masterminding a World Test Championship final victory, yet another Ashes retention and a test series win over Pakistan to close out the year, this is basically a no brainer.
Runner up: Ben Stokes.

The Winner: Test Cricketer of 2023
Pat Cummin - Captain Fantastic has carried Australia on his back, and even though his bowling at times hasn't been as consistent as in previous years, he has worked through injury, work load, and not only has he taken wickets when his side have needed them most, he has been an caught, fielded, captained and even batted to a level befitting his post. Inarguably the best test cricketer on the planet as I type this.

 

[noducksallowed]

The Winner: ODI Batsman of 2023
Virat Kohli - no introductions needed, KOhli has long held the post as one of the world's leading cricketers. Not winning the World cup is a big disappointment and likely the last chance he will have but his performances in the tournament were of pure class and his consistency throughout the year, even if the impact was not as great as some others, pip them to the post.
Runners up: Shubman Gill & Daryl Mitchell.

The Winner: ODI Bowler of 2023

Mitchell Starc - 3/34 & 3/55 are the two most important bowling stats of the year. They both belong to Mitchell Starc and they came in the most crunch moments of the Cricket World Cup, in the semi-final for the former and then the final for the latter. That's not unusual, Starc has made a career of standing up in the biggest moments.
Runners up: Kuldeep Yadav & Mohammad Shami.


The Winner: ODI Wicket-Keeper of 2023
Mohammad Rizwan - the man they just can't keep down. A fighter much in the mould of Javed Miandad, Rizwan showed his guts and won some glory this year with the bat but its his keeping, always consistent, always logical in calming down excited fast bowlers and methodical that make him an absolute stand out.
Runners up: Quinton De Kock & KL Rahul.

The Winner: ODI All-Rounder of 2023
Glenn Maxwell - it's remarkable looking over a 10+ year career that includes almost 4k runs, 70 wickets and a near consistent presence everywhere on the field whenever Australia are in dire straits, that Maxwell is not thought or talked about as much as other modern ODI greats. In 2023 Maxwell produced some of his all round best work and two of the most astonishing innings you'll see in a World Cup.
Runners up: Bas De Leede & Shakib Al Hassan.

The Winner: ODI Captain of 2023
Pat Cummins - the man who started the year by saying he was still getting to grips with the format and then ended that same year by winning the World Cup. Nothing left to say.
Runner up: Scott Edwards.

The Winner: ODI Cricketer of 2023
Mitchell Starc - Who else could it be? There's a claim for Shami of course but where the Indian faded, the Aussie positively soared.

 

[pillowprocter]

As you all know, I am the "no ducks given" poster,

Well then, where have I heard that name before

 

[noducksallowed]

Cross-Format Batsman of the Year - Virat Kohli
Cross-Format Bowler of the Year - Mitchell Starc
Cross-FormatWicket-Keeper of the Year - Alex Carey
Cross-Format All-Rounder of the Year - Ravindra Jadeja

The Winner: Cricketer of the Year 2023
Mitchell Starc
Some will feel Pat Cummins probably deserves this award too, for carrying his nation unlike anyone since maybe Misbah in the early to mid 10s. There may even be a few voices for Kohli (pretty good ODI year but an average one in tests) or the odd one for the likes of Shami or Khawaja however, no one has encapsulated that big moment in 2023 like Starc. 6 wickets in a famous win over the old enemy at Lords and then, when it mattered almost as much, 6 wickets across two World cup games, one a semi final and the other the final against the hosts and outright favourites.

There is no one else more deserving in my eyes.




And now for the teams of the year:

Test XI 2023
1. Usman Khawaja
2. Ben Duckett
3. Kane Williamson
4. Joe Root
5. Steve Smith
6. Alex Carey
7. Ravindra Jadeja
8. Pat Cummins
9. Mitchell Starc
10. Stuart Broad
11. Nathan Lyon

ODI XI 2023
1. Shubman Gill
2. Rohit Sharma
3. Virat Kohli
4. Daryl Mitchell
5. Aiden Markram
6. Glenn Maxwell
7. Mohamamd Rizwan
8. Pat Cummins
9. Mitchell Starc
10. Mohammad Shami
11. Kuldeep Yadav

 

[Bevab]

Interesting decision to name Starc the ODI cricketer of the year based on those two knockout performances when he wasn’t even the best Aussie bowler on those days.

 

[noducksallowed]

Interesting decision to name Starc the ODI cricketer of the year based on those two knockout performances when he wasn’t even the best Aussie bowler on those days.

Cummins bowled tighter, Starc took more wickets in the final. Like I said, Cummins is in the conversation for a lot of these awards.

Similar story in the semis, Hazlewood was more economical but Starc had more wickets and looked the bigger threat.

Starc is in the conversation for both games.

 

[Bevab]

Cummins bowled tighter, Starc took more wickets in the final. Like I said, Cummins is in the conversation for a lot of these awards.

Similar story in the semis, Hazlewood was more economical but Starc had more wickets and looked the bigger threat.

Starc is in the conversation for both games.

Cummins didn’t just bowl tighter, he completely shut down any prospect of boundaries in those middle overs. Hazlewood likewise was bowling at peak test form.

Taking more wickets doesn’t necessarily equal being the bigger threat.

 

[noducksallowed]

Cummins didn’t just bowl tighter, he completely shut down any prospect of boundaries in those middle overs. Hazlewood likewise was bowling at peak test form.

Taking more wickets doesn’t necessarily equal being the bigger threat.

Sure, I don't agree others played well also. Like I said there's conversations to be had for Cummins sweeping a lot of awards but like I also said, if someone is in the conversation then he is worthy.

For me, 3 wickets back to back is what did it, in the biggest moments.

Who would be your ODI cricketer of the year? (I could probably guess but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt lol)

 

[Bevab]

Sure, I don't agree others played well also. Like I said there's conversations to be had for Cummins sweeping a lot of awards but like I also said, if someone is in the conversation then he is worthy.

For me, 3 wickets back to back is what did it, in the biggest moments.

Who would be your ODI cricketer of the year? (I could probably guess but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt lol)

It was because you mentioned those knockout games as the reason, Starc’s been hot and cold in other ODIs this year and I’d think an award for the entire year should be considering other games in addition.

Why ask when you could guess correctly?

 

[icyman]

Got Gurkirat vibes from this title!