Daniel Vettori sweeps New Zealand Cricket Awards

BLACKCAPS captain Daniel Vettori is the 2009 National Bank Player of the Year, and has also picked up the Winsor Cup for first class bowling and the JR Reid Best All-Rounder Trophy.

The trophies were presented at the National Bank New Zealand Cricket awards dinner in Auckland this evening.

New Zealand Cricket Chief Executive Justin Vaughan said Vettori was a deserving winner of the supreme award after an outstanding season in all areas of the game.

“Daniel has been an inspiration to his team and to New Zealand cricket fans,” said Vaughan. “This year he has also cemented his reputation as one of the most accomplished captains in world cricket currently.”

“Daniel has led his side from the front this season. A six-wicket haul against the West Indies, a century against India – then going on later in the year to join the elite club of 300 wickets and 3000 runs – this really has been Daniel’s year.”

Awards presented included:

Bert Sutcliffe Medal
For outstanding lifetime service to cricket
- Alan Whimp

Alan Whimp spent his professional career as a primary school educator where has been able to pass his knowledge and cricket skills onto thousands of young cricketers. He has represented King Country and Thames Valley at District Association level as a player. He has served on committees in Northland, King Country and Thames Valley, filling roles as selector, secretary and junior club convenor.

Gillette Cup Young Cricketer of the Year Award
- Adam Milne (Palmerston North Boys High School)

Adam Milne was the stand out player in the 2008 Gillette Cup, especially for his quick bowling. He has good variation with the ball and took 13 tournament wickets for an average of 8.15 per wicket, an outstanding result in any form of the game.

Sir Jack Newman Award
Presented to an outstanding junior cricket administrator in New Zealand each year for past and present services to the game.

- Stephen Jones

Stephen Jones has made an immense contribution to North Harbour Cricket for more than 15 years. He has worked in a range of voluntary roles including organising and coordinating junior and secondary schools cricket. He was Chairman of North Harbour Junior Cricket and worked with Auckland Cricket to ensure young cricketers have been provided with the best quality cricket experience, including introducing a modified eight-a-side game for juniors.

Domestic Women’s Player of the Year
- Sophie Devine

White Ferns all-rounder Sophie Devine was a key member of the State Wellington Blaze side which won the State League Twenty20 title and was runner up in the one-day championship. A consistent performer with bat and ball, Sophie scored two Twenty20 half-centuries, and an unbeaten 83 in the State League.

Phyl Blackler Cup
Awarded to the bowler whose performances in women’s cricket have been the most meritorious.
- Kate Pulford

Kate Pulford marked her return to the international level with outstanding performances on the world stage. Kate was selected in the ICC World Cup XI, and was the White Ferns’ leading bowler at World Twenty20 competition.

Ruth Martin Cup
Awarded to the batsman whose performances in women’s cricket have been the most meritorious.
- Haidee Tiffen

White Ferns captain Haidee Tiffen retired from international cricket in 2009 after leading the side in a drawn ODI series against Australia and second place in the ICC World Cup. Tiffen led from the front, topping the team’s World Cup batting averages, and scoring a century and two fifties in the tournament.

Domestic Men’s Player of the Year
- Mathew Sinclair

State Central Stags captain Sinclair was the stand-out batsman across all three domestic competitions this year. He was the leading run-scorer in the State Championship and State Shield, and second in the State Twenty20 rankings. He capped the season by taking out the inaugural Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award.

JR Reid Best All Rounder Trophy
Awarded to the best all rounder in all forms of cricket.
- Daniel Vettori

BLACKCAPS captain Daniel Vettori has consistently produced outstanding performances with both bat and ball. He is arguably the leading left-arm orthodox bowler in the Test arena, while his effective batting has been a tremendous anchor in many innings. He is now deservedly ranked among the world’s top five Test all-rounders.

Redpath Cup
Awarded to the batsman whose performances in men’s First Class cricket have been the most meritorious.
- Jesse Ryder

Jesse Ryder has made an explosive entry on to the international stage this year with Test outings netting him four half-centuries, a century and a double-ton – for an outstanding season average of 55 in Tests.

Winsor Cup
Awarded to the bowler whose performances in men’s First Class cricket have been the most meritorious.
- Daniel Vettori

Daniel Vettori’s mastery of flight and speed has seen him dominate many of the world’s top batsmen this season, claiming 36 Test wickets at an average of just 27.22.

Walter Hadlee Trophy
For the most meritorious batting by a New Zealand player in One-Day Internationals.
- Martin Guptill

Martin Guptill’s unbeaten innings of 122 against West Indies, on his one-day international debut, was of the batting high points of the BLACKCAPS’ season, and followed up with three half centuries during the season, against Australia and India.

Walter Hadlee Trophy
For the most meritorious bowling by a New Zealand player in One-Day Internationals.
- Kyle Mills

Kyle Mills has held a permanent spot in the top five-ranked ODI bowlers this season, on the strength of his penetrating and economical bowling. His 4/35 against Australia in Perth proved a match-winner, and he returned an enviable economy rate of 4.68 for the season.

The National Bank Player of the Year
Presented to the player whose performances in New Zealand Cricket have been the most outstanding over the last 12 months.

- Daniel Vettori

Test caps were presented to BLACKCAPS players, Jesse Ryder (cap #241), Tim McIntosh (cap #242), and Martin Guptill (cap #243), who made their Test debuts during the 2008/09 season.

Also presented were the New Zealand Cricket Development Awards, previously announced on 21 April 2009.

Best Club Cricket Initiative – Waitakere Cricket Club (Auckland)
Best Women’s Cricket Initiative – Halswell Cricket Club (Christchurch)
Best Youth Cricket Initiative – Merivale-Papanui Cricket Club (Christchurch)
Best Junior Cricket Initiative – Junior Cricket Upper Hutt (Wellington)
Service to Cricket Award – Tony Buckingham (Auckland)