NZ Awards: Kane Williamson is ODI player of the year, Ross Taylor is T20I player of the year

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Big names scoop ANZ International white ball awards

Four of New Zealand cricket’s modern day stars – Kane Williamson, Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates and Ross Taylor were in the limelight today as the white ball honours for the 2019-20 season were handed out during a LIVE NZC YouTube presentation of the ANZ New Zealand Cricket Awards.

Devine and Taylor were named the Women’s and Men’s ANZ International T20 Players of the Year respectively, while Williamson and Bates were both rewarded for consistency with the bat as they claimed the ANZ International ODI Player of the Year gongs.

Williamson’s recognition followed a spectacular campaign at the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, where his 578 runs at an average of 82, including two centuries, culminated in him being named player of the tournament.

“Kane was simply exceptional at the ICC Cricket World Cup last year,” said BLACKCAPS head coach Gary Stead.

“He can be extremely proud of what he achieved at the tournament in the UK. He scored his runs at crucial times, in crucial matches and he set a tempo throughout the tournament that allowed us to play some superb cricket.”

Stead also congratulated the BLACKCAPS skipper on his selection in the ICC ODI Team of the Year, an accolade fitting of his world-class status.

“Kane fully deserved his selection,” said Stead.

“He builds great partnerships with our well-established middle order and when he bats deep in an ODI innings, we’ll invariably be in a good position to win most of those matches.

“He leads the team well, he has his own style and certainly the respect of his peers. His calm, purposeful demeanour flows through his leadership and, in turn, the team.”

Captain Kane’s No.3 counterpart in the WHITE FERNS is the ANZ International Women’s ODI Player of the Year – Suzie Bates.

Despite only having one ODI series against South Africa at home this summer, Bates showed her class scoring 142 runs at an average of 42.

“Suzie has been a world class performer for many years,” said WHITE FERNS head coach Bob Carter.

“She can be proud of another strong season in the ODI colours for the WHITE FERNS.”

Bates scored two half-centuries in the three-match series against South Africa, reinforcing her reputation as one of the best ODI players in the world.

“She paces an ODI innings really well and has the ability to read fields and pre-empt what opposition captains are trying to do and how they are looking to contain or restrict her game.

“Suzie is always hungry for more runs; she will think she let two chances slide to score big hundreds.

“That’s the kind of world class attitude and dedication to her game that she has and why she has been a strong contributor to the WHITE FERNS for so long.”

Meanwhile it was the continuation of a blockbuster T20 summer for WHITE FERNS captain Sophie Devine.

She was the obvious choice for the ANZ International Women’s T20 Player of the Year, scoring her maiden T20 century while also becoming the first player, male or female, to reach 50 in five, and then six, consecutive T20 Internationals.

“What can I say? Sophie had an exceptional season with the bat in T20 cricket,” Carter said.

Devine scored 429 runs at an average of 71 and at a strike-rate of 132 – employing a power game that rivals the best female players in the world.

“Our T20 side is at its best when Sophie is scoring runs at the top. She gives others around her the freedom to play their natural game,” Carter said.

“Sophie’s ability with the ball in T20 cricket goes under the radar at times. She will often step up and bowl the hard overs and uses changes of pace to her advantage.

“She is a top quality all-rounder and an exceptional T20 talent.”

The ANZ International Men’s T20 Player of the Year, Ross Taylor, scored 330 T20 runs with a strike-rate of 130.

“A man of Ross’ international experience is very valuable in the fast and furious nature of T20 cricket,” BLACKCAPS coach Gary Stead said.

“He has the ability to sum up batting conditions quickly and accurately in a variety of venues and countries.

“This is a skill which serves the team well and helps us adapt plans quickly in the shortest form of the game.”

Tomorrow is the fourth and final day of the ANZ New Zealand Cricket Awards where we wrap up with more top accolades, including the ANZ International Test Player of the Year, the G.J. Gardner Homes New Zealand Umpire of the Year and the supreme award, the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal.


2020 ANZ New Zealand Cricket Awards, April 28 – 1 May



NZC Community Awards

Gillette Venus Cup Player of the Year: Amie Hucker (Epsom Girls Grammar)

Gillette Cup Player of the Year: Rhys Mariu (St Andrew’s College) and Jacob Cumming (Otago Boys’ High School)

Club of the Year: Geyser City Cricket Club

Volunteer of the Year: Dave Gillespie (Taita District Cricket Club)

Official of the Year: Annette Campbell (Cornwall Cricket Club)

Cricket Development Officer of the Year: Toby Doyle (Canterbury Country)

Best Female Engagement Initiative: Colin Mann (Masterton Intermediate)

Outstanding Contribution and Services to Coaching: Glynn Cameron (North Otago)

Outstanding Contribution to Cricket: Rod McGregor (Waiuku District Cricket Club)

Sir Jack Newman: Rick Mudgway (Johnsonville Cricket Club)



Further details of the NZC Community Awards here.


Tuesday

Bert Sutcliffe Medal for Outstanding Services to Cricket: Ian Smith

Women’s Dream11 Super Smash Player of the Year: Sophie Devine

Men’s Dream11 Super Smash Player of the Year: Devon Conway



Wednesday

Men’s Domestic Player of the Year: Devon Conway

Women’s Domestic Player of the Year: Katie Gurrey

The Redpath Cup for First-Class batting: Tom Latham

The Ruth Martin Cup for women’s domestic batting: Katie Gurrey

The Winsor Cup for First-Class bowling: Tim Southee

The Phyl Blackler Cup for women’s domestic bowling: Jess Kerr



Thursday

ANZ International Women’s ODI Player of the Year: Suzie Bates

ANZ International Men’s ODI Player of the Year: Kane Williamson

ANZ International Women’s T20 Player of the Year: Sophie Devine

ANZ International Men’s T20 Player of the Year: Ross Taylor



Friday

ANZ International Test Player of the Year

(2018-19 winner: Kane Williamson)

G.J. Gardner Homes New Zealand Umpire of the Year

(2018-19 winner: Chris Brown)

Sir Richard Hadlee Medal

(2018-19 winner: Kane Williamson)

 

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Plenty to celebrate for NZ in the last year.

World Cup final.
Test series wins over England and India at home.
An ODI series win over India at home.
A Test win in Sri Lanka.

 

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Suzie Bates was disappointing in the Women's Twenty20 World Cup across the Tasman last month.

 

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Central Districts Cricket is thrilled to congratulate BLACKCAP and lifelong Central Districts representative Ross Taylor on winning New Zealand’s supreme cricket accolade — the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal, announced this morning by New Zealand Cricket at the 2020 ANZ New Zealand Cricket Awards.

Central Districts Cricket CEO Pete de Wet said he was sure he spoke for all CD’s cricket family and supporters in congratulating Taylor on a wonderful season, and on winning the Sir Richard Hadlee medal for the third time simce its inceptio at the start of the decade.

“We are extremely proud of Ross and of what he has achieved for the BLACKCAPS, and especially over this past season,” said de Wet.

“We have so many memorable moments to cherish from his distinguished career, and seeing him, this summer, become the first player in history to play 100 games in all three formats was extra rewarding.”

For Taylor, it was a season of milestones for the evergreen batsman as he also surpassed Stephen Fleming’s all-time New Zealand Test runs record, and played his 100th T20 International and 100th Test during a productive summer.

CDCA Manager, High Performance, Lance Hamilton said, “It’s been such a pleasure to watch Ross’s career evolve — from the time he was a young lad looking after the boys in the dressing room when we played first-class games in Masterton, to watching him take the field at the Basin Reserve as he became the first player to achieve 100 games across all formats.

“Through it all he has remained the same loyal, humble, yet fiercely competitive man who always has time for others, and is someone that not only his family and close friends can be proud of, but someone I believe the whole country can be proud of. Ross is a great ambassador for the game that we love — and also, for kiwis in general.”

CDCA congratulates all New Zealand’s winners of this season’s ANZ New Zealand Cricket Awards which also saw Taylor named the ANZ International Men’s T20 Player of the Year, Masterton Intermediate schoolteacher Colin Mann recognised with a national Community Cricket Award for Best Female Engagement Initiative, and former Central Stag, BLACKCAP and commentary legend Ian Smith awarded the prestigious Bert Sutcliffe Medal for service to cricket.

 

[MenInG]

Batting stalwart Ross Taylor claimed the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal for excelling across formats, while Tim Southee was recognised as the top Test player of the year at the annual New Zealand Cricket Awards.

During the relevant period, starting with the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019, Ross Taylor racked up 1,389 runs across formats to comfortably top the run-scoring charts for New Zealand, over 200 runs clear of New Zealand captain Kane Williamson at second.

Taylor's exploits included two centuries and nine fifties across formats. During the period, he also went past Stephen Fleming's tally to become the leading run-scorer for New Zealand in Tests and solidified his place at the top of the charts in ODIs.

"I’ve watched your progress over the past 14 years and I just want to congratulate you on all your performances and records to date," said Hadlee when conferring the honour upon Taylor via video link.

"You’ve been a wonderful performer, you’ve got a fantastic record and on behalf of New Zealand Cricket I’d just like to say thanks very much for your contribution, not only to New Zealand cricket – but to world cricket."

Taylor's teammate Southee bagged the top Test prize after having picked up 40 wickets at an average of 21.47 during the season.

"To perform in the format is very pleasing and the stats are nice, but at the end of the day there’s a lot of work from your teammates that go into those numbers," said Southee, who also won the award for his achievements in first-class cricket on Wednesday. "The guys taking the catches, the guys bowling at the other end creating pressure - it’s a collective group effort and this award is a representation of that."

Kim Cotton was named the Umpire of the Year after she became the first woman from New Zealand to officiate in an ICC World Cup final during the Women's T20 event in Australia at a jam-packed Melbourne Cricket Ground.

"It’s been a busy journey, but I’ve absolutely loved it," Cotton said. "I was a bit surprised to be asked to do the Final - it was an amazing experience. The atmosphere and the noise was unreal. I thoroughly enjoyed the game and it was so great to be part of."

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1663273