Ballarat's Matt Short's incredible Big Bash League season has been officially recognised named the player of the tournament, presented at the Allan Border Medal on Monday night.
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Higher honours could now be calling for the 27-year-old following a second-straight BBL season in the top three of the competition runs tally.
Short capped off back-to-back seasons with the Adelaide Strikers since his shift to the top of the batting order.
The 27-year-old finished the regular season as the tournament's top run-scorer with 458 striking at 144.47 to win the award by three votes ahead of Perth Scorchers wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis.
Short's stunning unbeaten century against the Hobart Hurricanes on January 5 in the highest BBL run chase of all-time was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the season, and he also scored half centuries against the Sixers and Thunder as well as 11 wickets, with a best bowling of 3-14.
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting declared Short should be on the radar for the Indian Premier League later in the year. Despite not being shortlisted for last year's auction, he can be brought in as a replacement player if required.
"When I was younger, Greg Chappell once said, you look after everything on field and score runs and bowl well and all the contracts and stuff will take care of themselves, so I've always stuck to that," Short said.
"I just enjoy playing cricket and I'm just trying to take care of the things on field rather than thinking about anything off the field.
"All through my junior career I was an opener, so I've always been used to batting at the top.
"When I first came across to the Strikers it was a bit of a struggle through the middle and I was lucky enough that 'Dizz' (Jason Gillespie) saw faith in me at the top of the order and put me up there last year and I think that really suits my game."
Short is the first Strikers player to win the league's top gong, winning on 25 votes, three clear of Inglis with Melbourne Renegade Aaron Finch third.
He will next turn his attention to the remainder of Sheffield Shield season with Victoria which resumes on February 9 against Queensland.
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