England tormentor Mitchell Johnson capped a remarkable summer by shading Test and one-day captain Michael Clarke to win the Allan Border Medal for Australia’s player of the year on Monday.
The fearsome paceman took 168 of the votes made by the media, players and umpires to beat Clarke by 12 with James Faulkner a distant third.
It was the 32-year-old’s first Allan Border Medal win-judged on performances in Tests and one-dayers throughout the season-and denied Clarke a record fifth triumph.
“It has been an amazing journey coming back from injury, having a lot of doubters out there,” Johnson said.
“But I just knew in my own heart that if I had that opportunity that I could make the most of it.”
While Johnson missed the first Ashes series in England this year, he more than made up for it on home soil in Australia’s 5-0 whitewash of their old rivals, claiming 37 wickets at 13.97.
Shane Watson came fourth with George Bailey and Steve Smith equal fifth.
