Kurtis Patterson’s dramatic rise from state discard to Test prospect has continued, receiving the Steve Waugh Medal for New South Wales’ men’s domestic cricketer of the year.
On Wednesday evening, the 32-year-old was presented the award for the first time in his career during the Cricket NSW Annual Awards, beating out nominees leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha, pace bowler Liam Hatcher and seamer Charlie Stobo.
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The accolade comes 18 months after Patterson was out of the Blues side altogether, at the time playing grade cricket for St. George and fighting for a recall.
Patterson was the leading run-scorer of this season’s One-Day Cup with 565 runs at 113.00, helping New South Wales lift the Dean Jones Trophy with a gritty half-century during last month’s final against Tasmania in Hobart.
The left-hander contributed 619 runs at 36.41 during the Sheffield Shield campaign, including a career-best 173 not out against South Australia at the SCG, the highest individual score of the competition.
Patterson’s career-best form comes amid a worrying slump for Australian Test No. 3 Marnus Labuschagne, who has scored 447 first-class runs at 22.35 since the end of October, managing just three fifties across 20 knocks during that period. The Queenslander hasn’t scored a Test hundred in nearly three years.
However, Labuschagne was named in Cricket Australia’s men’s contract list for the 2026/27 season, announced on Wednesday, suggesting national selectors intend to back him into next summer.
But with veteran batter Usman Khawaja recently retiring and all-rounder Cameron Green fighting to keep his spot in the national side, there could be vacancies in the Test middle-order when Australia plays Bangladesh in August.
“The motivation’s there,” Patterson replied when Fox Cricket asked him about his Test aspirations last month.
“That was part of that process 18 months ago when I had some time to think through why I was playing and what my motivations were, and doing everything I can to get back in that Australian side was a big one.
“I’ll be looking forward to taking that opportunity if it does come.”
Patterson played two Tests against Sri Lanka in early 2019, scoring a century at Manuka Oval during the series finale, but was dropped from the national side to accommodate Steve Smith’s return from the Cape Town ball-tampering ban. He hasn’t represented Australia in any format since, currently averaging 144.00 in Tests, an all-time record.
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Asked if he was better placed to tackle the challenges of Test cricket than he was seven years ago, Patterson responded: “I’m playing my best cricket at the moment, there’s no doubt about that.
“I’m more mature. I’ve got a more complete game now, and I’ve got the confidence that I’ve done it in the past when I was selected.”
Elsewhere, batter Katie Mack was awarded the Belinda Clark Medal for News South Wales’ domestic women’s of the year, capping off an impressive maiden campaign for the Breakers.
The 32-year-old was the leading run-scorer of this summer’s WNCL with 659 runs at 59.90, helping the Breakers qualify for last month’s tournament decider against Queensland.
She beat out fellow nominees captain Lauren Cheatle, veteran seamer Sarah Coyte and superstar all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner for the prize.
“Congratulations to all award winners on their outstanding 2025-26 seasons for the Breakers, Blues, Sixers and Thunder,” Cricket NSW chief executive Lee Germon said in a statement.
“In particular, I’d like to congratulate Katie Mack and Kurtis Patterson on winning their first Belinda Clark and Steve Waugh Medals respectively. Both Katie and Kurtis enjoyed prolific campaigns with the bat and demonstrated great leadership and humility on and off the field.”
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2025/26 CRICKET NSW AWARDS – WINNERS AND FINALISTS
Belinda Clark Medal
Winner: Katie Mack
Finalists: Lauren Cheatle, Sarah Coyte, Ashleigh Gardner, Katie Mack
Steve Waugh Medal
Winner: Kurtis Patterson
Finalists: Liam Hatcher, Kurtis Patterson, Tanveer Sangha, Charlie Stobo
WNCL Player of the Competition
Winner: Katie Mack
Finalists: Georgia Adams, Lauren Cheatle, Sarah Coyte, Katie Mack
Sheffield Shield Player of the Competition
Winner: Liam Hatcher
Finalists: Jack Edwards, Liam Hatcher, Kurtis Patterson, Charlie Stobo
Michael Bevan One-Day Cup Player of the Competition
Winner: Kurtis Patterson
Finalists: Sean Abbott, Kurtis Patterson, Tanveer Sangha, Charlie Stobo
Cricket Australia Awards – WNCL Player of the Year
Winner: Katie Mack
Alex Blackwell Medal – Sydney Thunder WBBL Player of the Season
Winner: Heather Knight
Finalists: Heather Knight, Samantha Bates, Lucy Finn, Tahlia Wilson, Phoebe Litchfield
Mike Hussey Medal – Sydney Thunder BBL Player of the Season
Winner: Chris Green
Finalists: Wes Agar, Shadab Khan, Chris Green, David Warner
Sydney Sixers WBBL Player of the Competition
Winner: Ashleigh Gardner
Finalists: Sophia Dunkley, Ashleigh Gardner, Ellyse Perry, Maitlan Brown
Sydney Sixers BBL Player of the Competition
Winner: Joel Davies
Finalists: Ben Dwarshuis, Joel Davies, Jack Edwards, Sean Abbott
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