Williamson wins Hadlee Medal
Another day, another gong for New Zealand’s modern day batting marvel.
Fresh from being awarded man of the match after the agonising, rainsoaked third test draw with South Africa, Kane Williamson was last night named New Zealand Cricket’s outstanding player for a second successive year.
The Black Caps captain collected the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal at NZC’s annual awards dinner in Auckland, just days after he drew level with the late Martin Crowe’s record of 17 test centuries.
WIlliamson won two other prizes, the Redpath Cup for first-class batting and Twenty20 International player of the year. His knock of 176 against South Africa in Hamilton boosted his tally for the awards period to 1079 test match runs at an average of 59.94, including four centuries.
In one-day internationals, Williamson scored 695 runs at 41 while in T20 Internationals he managed 281 runs at 35 after guiding New Zealand to the World T20 semifinals in India. The judges said Williamson’s impressive performances across all three formats were contributing factors to his supreme award.
There were two other worthy contenders for the Hadlee Medal - Neil Wagner and Amy Satterthwaite.
Wagner pipped Williamson to be named test player of the year, and won the Winsor Cup for first-class bowling.
The combative left-armer played 13 of New Zealand’s 14 tests in the awards period and snared 56 wickets at 24.25. He outshone the team’s premier strike bowler Trent Boult, who in 11 tests snared 43 wickets at 27.
Satterthwaite had strong claims to be considered the Hadlee Medal’s first female recipient since it was first presented in 2011.
The left-hander was dominant for the White Ferns in a world first for women’s cricket, racking up four successive ODI centuries against Pakistan and Australia. She plundered 935 runs in 15 ODIs, at a stunning average of 103.88, and was an easy choice for women’s ODI player of the year.
Her captain Suzie Bates was named women’s T20 International player of the year, in a season where the White Ferns had a rare series victory in Australia.
Opener Martin Guptill won the ODI player award after averaging 47.5, including two stellar centuries: 114 against Australia in Sydney and a matchwinning 180 not out against South Africa in Hamilton.
In domestic T20 cricket, rising Auckland Aces wicketkeeer-batsman Glenn Phillips won the Super Smash player of the year after topping the run charts with 369 at an average of 46 and strike rate of 143, which earned him a T20 International debut against South Africa.
Otago pair Katey Martin and Leigh Kasperek claimed the women’s domestic batting and bowling awards while Taranaki and Central Districts stalwart Neil Sulzberger was awarded the Bert Sutcliffe Medal for outstanding services to cricket.
Williamson v Smith B8