Shelley Nitschke crowned a remarkable career on Monday by winning a fourth consecutive Belinda Clark Award despite retiring from the Australian side in July 2011.

The 35-year-old South Australian allrounder polled 33 votes at the Allan Border Medal count at Melbourne’s Crown Casino, finishing just clear of Lisa Sthalekar on 31 and Alex Blackwell on 26.

Nitschke joins Karen Rolton on four award wins, formerly known as the Women’s International Player of the Year Award.

Left-arm orthodox spinner Nitschke claimed 21 wickets at 17.62 and scored 285 runs at 23.75 in 13 matches in the voting period.

Nitschke was ranked world No.1 bowler and allrounder at the time of her retirement and in 2010 was named ICC women’s cricketer of the year.

Sthalekar, who was runner-up for a fourth consecutive year, hit 285 runs at 21.92 in 20 matches and took 30 wickets at 18.23.