Amelia Kerr and Daryl Mitchell, two all-rounders, were recognised as the best men’s and women’s cricket players of the year at New Zealand Cricket’s famous annual awards ceremony.
At the NZC awards presentation on Thursday in Auckland, Kerr was given the first Debbie Hockley Award, while Mitchell was given the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal.
For his outstanding efforts throughout the year, particularly in Test cricket, Mitchell was also awarded the Redpath Cup for batting in first-class cricket.
In addition to moving up to ninth in the Test batting rankings, he made four test hundreds and was a key contributor with scores of 102 and 81 in Christchurch’s last-ball victory over Sri Lanka.
With five half-centuries in 16 innings and 913 runs at an average of 70.23, Mitchell wrapped up the season.
In addition to the Hockley Medal, Kerr received the women’s T20I Player of the Year honour. With 423 runs at an average of 32.53 and a strike rate of 112.20, she ended the year as New Zealand’s second-highest T20I scorer, behind Suzie Bates.
Together with Eden Carson, she shared the second-highest wicket total with 17 kills and an economy rate of 5.52.
With three half-centuries at an average of 55.50 and 222 runs, by far the highest runs scored this season, Bates was voted the ODI Player of the Year.
According to a NZC press release, wicketkeeper Tom Blundell was chosen the Test Player of the Year for his “continuous progress” in the format.
He had a total of 38 outs after the stumps, including nine stumpings and the catch of James Anderson from Neil Wagner at the Basin Reserve that gave New Zealand the one-run victory. He also scored 849 runs at an average of 60.64.
Tim Southee took 32 Test wickets, passing Daniel Vettori to become New Zealand’s second-highest wicket-taker with a total of 370, and won the Winsor Cup for his first-class bowling.
Glenn Phillips scored 740 runs during the season at a strike rate of nearly 149 and an average of 38.94, earning him the title of men’s T20I Player of the Year.
After scoring over 500 runs, including two hundreds (an unbeaten 127 off 82 balls against Ireland and 140 off 78 balls against India in Hyderabad), Michael Bracewell was awarded the men’s ODI Player of the Year. He took 14 wickets with his offspin at a 5.32 economy rate.
The following players took home the domestic honors:
- Kate Anderson of Canterbury took home the Super Smash Player-of-the-Year award, the Ruth Martin Cup for domestic women’s batting, and the title of women’s domestic Player of the Year.
- Also from Canterbury, Gabby Sullivan received the Phyl Blackler Cup for women’s domestic bowling.
- For his contributions with both the bat and the ball, Otago all-rounder Dean Foxcroft received both the Super Smash Player-of-the-Year and the men’s domestic Player-of-the-Year awards.
- The Umpire of the Year award went to Chris Brown.
- The Bert Sutcliffe Award for distinguished contribution to cricket was given to Heath Mills, the longtime chief executive of the NZCPA.
