Steve Waugh Medal goes to Phillip Hughes

	Phillip Hughes has sparkled throughout the summer © Getty Images
Related Links News : Hughes rests up before England assault Players/Officials: Aaron Bird | Nathan Hauritz | Josh Hazlewood | Phillip Hughes | Erin Osborne | Leah Poulton Teams: Australia | New South Wales

Phillip Hughes has gained another trophy from a bling-heavy summer after picking up the Steve Waugh Medal as New South Wales' Player of the Year. Hughes, who has returned from a highly successful debut Test tour of South Africa, was limited to seven Sheffield Shield games for the Blues, but was the runaway winner ahead of Aaron Bird, the fast bowler currently suspended for an illegal action.

Votes from all three domestic competitions were combined, with Hughes finishing 72 ahead of Bird on 231. At 20 he was the youngest winner of the medal and added it to his Sheffield Player of the Year and Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year gongs during an unforgettable 2008-09.

Before his three Tests in South Africa, which included two centuries in Durban, Hughes scored 891 runs at 74.25 in the Shield, winning him the Blues' four-day award ahead of Burt Cockley. There were also 288 runs for Hughes in the FR Cup and his collection of 188 in the Twenty20 came at a strike-rate of 121.29.

Nathan Hauritz, the Australia offspinner, was the FR Cup Player of the Year for his eight wickets and an economy rate of 4.09. The opener Leah Poulton won the Belinda Clark Medal as New South Wales' leading women's player in 2008-09. She collected 376 runs at 41.77 in the successful Women's National Cricket League campaign before being part of Australia's World Cup squad. The Rising Star Awards went to the fast bowler Josh Hazlewood and the spinner Erin Osbourne.