Mitchell Starc has become the first bowler in almost a decade to be crowned Australia's best Test player.
The left-arm spearhead claimed the award at the Allan Border Medal night on Monday, his 28 votes edging out skipper Steve Smith (24) and David Warner (17).
Not since Brett Lee in 2008 has a bowler been named the country's top long-form player, with recent winners including Michael Clarke (three times), Simon Katich and Steve Smith.
Starc's honour awarded at The Star in Sydney comes despite missing the two-match series loss against New Zealand in February due to an ankle injury.
He came back with a team-high 24 wickets in a series defeat to Sri Lanka, 11 of which came in the second Test in Galle.
He backed up with a combined 28 summer scalps against South Africa and Pakistan.
His 52 wickets - in the voting period from 8 January 2016 to 7 January this year - was the fourth-most in the world, 20 behind India's Ravi Ashwin and followed by Sri Lanka's Rangana Herath and South Africa's Kagiso Rabada.
Smith was considered a strong contender to win the award following a season where he scored an Australian-high 1162 runs, sixth most in the voting period.
