Williamson named NZ Player of the Year

AUCKLAND: Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Trent Boult and Colin Munro all picked up major honours at the ANZ New Zealand Cricket Awards, held in Auckland on Thursday.

The ceremony began with a tribute to the victims of the terrorist attacks in Christchurch last week, which claimed the lives of more than 40 people.

Williamson, New Zealand’s captain in all formats, claimed the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal for men’s Player of the Year, in addition to being named the Test Player of the Year. He scored 801 runs during the judging period at an average of 89.

Taylor, who scored 759 ODI runs last year at an average of 84, was named the ODI Player of the Year, while Boult was awarded the Windsor Cup for first-class bowling after taking 35 wickets at an average of 24. Munro was chosen as the men’s T20 Player of the Year.

Teenage all-rounder Amelia Kerr was the big winner among the women, honoured as the ODI Player of the Year following an impressive season in which she amassed 415 runs while averaging 59. The highlight of her season was a world record 232 not out against Ireland in Dublin last June, a match where she also claimed 5 for 17.

Award winners: Sir Richard Hadlee Medal for Player of the Year: Kane Williamson; ANZ International Test Player of the Year: Kane Williamson; ANZ International Women’s ODI Player of the Year: Amelia Kerr; ANZ International Men’s ODI Player of the Year: Ross Taylor; ANZ International Women’s T20 Player of the Year: Sophie Devine; ANZ International Men’s T20 Player of the Year: Colin Munro; Women’s Domestic Player of the Year: Natalie Dodd; Men’s Domestic Player of the Year: Devon Conway; Burger King Super Smash Women’s Player of the Year: Frankie Mackay; Burger King Super Smash Men’s Player of the Year: Tom Bruce; The Redpath Cup for First-Class batting: Kane Williamson; The Winsor Cup for First-Class bowling: Trent Boult; The Phyl Blackler Cup for women’s domestic bowling: Amelia Kerr; The Ruth Martin Cup for women’s domestic batting: Natalie Dodd.