‘Bit of a shock’: Legend’s son receives prestigious accolade weeks after UK defection

South Australia’s Jake Lehmann has been awarded Men’s Domestic Player of the Year by Cricket Australia less than a month after switching allegiances and defecting to England on a British passport.

Since the start of last summer, the 33-year-old has accumulated 1176 Sheffield Shield runs at 43.55, including six centuries, helping South Australia win its first red-ball title in 29 years. Despite starting the 2024/25 season in South Australia’s second XI team, he finished the summer as the competition’s third-leading run-scorer.

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On Tuesday, CA announced that Lehmann was this season’s recipient of the Men’s Domestic Player of the Year prize, an award his father, Australian cricket legend Darren, received on three occasions.

During the voting period, the left-hander struck hundreds in four consecutive Sheffield Shield matches, including March’s triumphant final against Queensland in Adelaide.

“It was a little bit of a shock,” Lehmann said in a statement.

“I felt like I’ve been playing some really good cricket in the last 18 months, so to get recognised by people that you’re playing against and your peers is always something special and I’m grateful for the acknowledgment.

“It’s a great honour. Over my career, I’ve looked up to these players and aspire to be these players. I’ve tried to copy a few things that those players have done over the years, so to have my name against their names and be acknowledged in that way is just an honour.”

Last month, Lehmann gave up the dream of following in his father’s footsteps by representing Australia, signing a two-year deal with Hampshire as a local player via his UK passport. The closest he came to a national call-up was earning selection for Australia A in 2016.

By committing his future to England, Lehmann is now ineligible to play international cricket for Australia under ICC regulations, while to feature in future editions of the Sheffield Shield he will have to register as an overseas player.

“I feel like the timing is right,” Lehmann explained to ESPNcricinfo last month.

“That was always the dream and the goal, but only a small number of people get to (play for Australia).

“Unfortunately, I haven’t got to do it, but I’m also grateful to have played first-class cricket for the last 12 years and to give back to Australian cricket in some way.”

Elsewhere, West Australian captain Sam Whiteman has penned a three-year deal with Yorkshire in the County Championship, also abandoning his dream of donning the coveted baggy green.

The 33-year-old, who previously captained Australia A and represented the nation’s Under-19 team, was born in the United Kingdom and moved to Australia when he was three. He was instrumental to Western Australia’s recent Sheffield Shield three-peat, named player of the final on three occasions.

“The timing is right for me to return to the UK and once the opportunity arose for me to sign with Yorkshire, it was one that was too good for me to turn down,” Whiteman said in a statement.

Meanwhile, West Australian young gun Cooper Connolly has been awarded the prestigious Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year prize, having made his national debut in all three formats across the last 18 months. Previous recipients include Brett Lee, Shane Watson, Phil Hughes and David Warner.

“The award is named after the Don so it’s special to be a part of that group and to see the previous winners, it’s always exciting to be part of that,” Connolly said in a statement.

“I’m enormously grateful for all the support I’ve had from coaches, teammates and support staff at WA Cricket.

“I’m looking forward to the upcoming BBL finals campaign and am excited at the prospect of being a part of the Scorchers’ sixth BBL title.”

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