Melie Kerr and Daryl Mitchell have been recognised as the country’s outstanding women’s and men’s cricketers of the year, winning the inaugural Debbie Hockley Medal and the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal at tonight’s New Zealand Cricket Awards ceremony in Auckland.
Mitchell, who also won the Redpath Cup for men’s first-classbatting, was recognised for a standout year across the board but particularly at test level, where he scored four centuries, played a leading hand in the Black Caps’ last-ball win against Sri Lanka at Christchurch, and rose to No 8 in the world test batting rankings.
He ended the year with 913 test runs at an average of 70.23, including a highest score of 190 against England at Trent Bridge. In 16 test innings he scored 50 or more on nine occasions.
Daryl Mitchell. Photo / Photosport
Kerr, the first player to be awarded the newly-minted Debbie Hockley Medal for the most outstanding women’s cricketer of the year, was also named the Women’s T20I Player of the Year.
The leg-spinning all-rounder was her T20I team’s second-highest run-scorer with 423 runs at 32.53 (strike rate 112.20) and equal second-highest wicket-taker with 17 at 20.41, achieved with an economy rate of 5.52. She also averaged 40.66 with the bat in ODIs.
Kerr’s teammate Suzie Bates was named the Women’s ODI Player of the Year after significant contributions with the bat against both the West Indies and Bangladesh, against whom she struck three half centuries, a highest score of 93 not out, and averaged 55.55.
Black Caps wicketkeeper Tom Blundell was recognised for his continued improvement in red-ball cricket with the Test Player of the Year award.
Blundell totalled 849 runs at 60.64 with the bat, including two centuries and six half-centuries, and effected 38 dismissals including nine stumpings.
Blundell’s test captain, Tim Southee, was the winner of the Winsor Cup for men’s first-class bowling after another strong year in the five-day format, taking 32 test wickets and increasing his career tally to 370.
Glenn Phillips was rewarded for a brilliant season for the Black Caps in the shortest format of the game by being named the T20I Player of the Year award, with 740 runs at 38.94, scored at a strike rate of 148.89.
Michael Bracewell was named the Men’s ODI Player of the Year after a stand-out season in which he scored 510 runs at 42.50, including two eye-opening centuries: an unbeaten 127 off 82 balls against Ireland, and an even more remarkable 140 off 78 balls against India at Hyderabad.
Bracewell also continued his development as a useful off-spinner, taking 14 wickets at a respectable economy rate of 5.32.
Michael Bracewell raises his bat after scoring a stunning century. Photo / photosport.nz
On the domestic front, Kate Anderson was recognised for a breakout year for Canterbury with the bat, winning the Ruth Martin Cup for domestic women’s batting, the Women’s Super Smash Player of the Year award, as well as being named the Women’s Domestic Player of the Year.
Anderson’s exceptional summer included breaking Bates’ run-scoring record for a Super Smash season with 536 runs at 59.55 (strike-rate 115.02), while striking 59 boundaries — the most for either the men’s or women’s competitions.
She also posted the highest score in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield competition — 141, while closing out the competition as the fourth-equal highest run-scorer.
Anderson’s Canterbury teammate Gabby Sullivan was awarded the Phyl Blackler Cup for women’s domestic bowling.
Otago all-rounder Dean Foxcroft dominated the domestic awards for men, his form with bat and ball securing him the Men’s Super Smash Player of the Year, and the Men’s Domestic Player of the Year awards.
