Ashes hopeful Michael Klinger scooped the state player of the year award at the Alan Border Medal in Melbourne.
The South Australian batsman was the unanimous choice after receiving 60 votes. Tasmanian Brett Geeves was second with 18 votes.
Klinger said: “I’m very excited. It’s something I never would have expected three or four months ago when I moved from Victoria. To be in this position now is unbelievable.”
Having discovered his best form relatively late in his career, Klinger, 28, looks a strong contender to make the Aussie squad for the forthcoming series against South Africa followed by a summer trip to England where the team will be looking to retain the Ashes.
During the voting period, he scored 1334 runs at an average of 74.11 across the Sheffield Shield, FR Cup and Twenty20 tournaments, with a highest score of 255. He is currently the leading scorer in the four-day competition with 1013 runs at 84.41.
Aged 17, Klinger represented Australia at the 1997 Maccabiah Games.
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