Cricket: Vettori scoops top award again

Daniel Vettori was again chosen Player of the Year. Picture / Kenny Rodger

Daniel Vettori has ended his summer on a high for the second consecutive season after being named New Zealand Cricketer of the Year.

The left-arm spinner emerged from a pack of category winners including Shane Bond, Nathan Astle, Chris Martin and Mathew Sinclair to scoop the major honours at the annual New Zealand Cricket Awards dinner in Auckland last night.

NZC chief executive Martin Snedden said that Vettori, who also carried off the main award last year, was a deserved winner after consistently delivering "outstanding" performances in both forms of the game during the twelve months under review.

"Daniel has been a dominant force in all facets of the game," said Snedden.

"He scored New Zealand's fastest-ever test century against Zimbabwe, and claimed 19 first-class wickets at an average of 17.47. His test batting average was 51.20, and he took 23 ODI wickets at an average of 30.17, while maintaining an economy rate of 3.87.

"He also captained the Black Caps in this season's Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series, and was the only New Zealand player selected for the World XI which played Australia in last year's inaugural Super Series."

Astle, at one stage axed from the New Zealand side this summer, won the Walter Hadlee Trophy for ODI batting after averaging 45.00, and Bond won the corresponding award for ODI bowling after taking 36 wickets at 18.11.

Sinclair won the Redpath Cup for the most meritorious batting performances in first-class cricket and Martin was awarded the Winsor Cup for first-class bowling.

Redpath Cup: Mathew Sinclair Winsor Cup: Chris Martin Walter Hadlee Trophy (batting): Nathan Astle Walter Hadlee Trophy (bowling: Shane Bond State Medal: (most outstanding player in men's domestic cricket): Jonathan Trott (Otago) State Plate: (most outstanding player in women's domestic cricket): Aimee Mason The Phyl Blackler Cup (most meritorious bowling in women's cricket): Louise Milliken The Ruth Martin Cup (most meritorious batting in women's cricket): Emily Drumm Sutcliffe Medal (outstanding services to cricket): Peter Sharp.