Tim Southee wins prestigious Sir Richard Hadlee Medal

Allrounder Amelia Kerr and batter Will Young were on Wednesday named ODI Players of the Year in the women's and men's categories respectively at the 2022 New Zealand Cricket awards. On Thursday, fast bowler Tim Southee earned his maiden Sir Richard Hadlee medal while Penny Kinsella earned the Bert Sutcliffe Medal for outstanding services to cricket. Top-order batter Devon Conway was named as the Test player of the year.

While Kerr scored 171 runs and picked six wickets in six matches in 2021, she put up superb performances in the recently-concluded Women's World Cup where she scored 201 runs and took nine wickets in seven games.

Young, who got to play just three ODIs in the season, made his mark by scoring two centuries in the home series against Netherlands for which he won the Player-of-the-Series award.

"It feels great," Young said. "It's obviously a bit strange to have only played three one-dayers this season and then to win an award like this, but you've got to take the opportunities as they come. It was awesome that the Netherlands could come here to finish off this New Zealand home summer and I'm absolutely stoked to have won this award and wrapped up the season."

Conway's award for best Test player was his second of the season. He won the Redpath Cup for batting excellence in the first-class arena. making an an impression in his very first outing in Tests, scoring a double-century at Lord's, and finishing the season with 767 runs at 63.91 average.

Southee's Hadlee Medal, too, was not his only prize during the three-day event. He also picked up the Winsor Cup for first-class bowling, taking 22 Test wickets in five matches in 2021, including 6 for 43 against England at Lord's, and 5 for 69 against India in Kanpur.

"Like most cricketers growing up I knew all about the exploits of Sir Richard and it's certainly pretty humbling to win his award this year," Southee said. "While the accolades are nice, I think it really just reflects the way we have worked together as a group and played our cricket for a long period of time."

"You're a very deserving winner," Hadlee told Southee. "We go back 14 years to when I was part of the selection panel who first picked you and to watch you develop over the years into the fine-tuned bowler you are now has been quite remarkable. You seem to be in total control of your game and bowling as well as you ever have. You've got a simple technique which is easy to repeat, and your skill sets have gone to another level."

Opening batter Suzie Bates' consistency in the women's Super Smash and the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield for Otago earned her the Ruth Martin Cup for batting excellence. Bates was the highest scorer in the Super Smash where she scored 504 runs in 12 matches at an average of 56 and strike rate of 115. She finished the Shield with 218 runs in six matches at 43.60 average.

"For me it was just simplifying it," Bates said. "I went back to what I'm good at which is hitting straight and not trying to add things to my game. Mentally trusting that what I had was good enough, just standing still and reacting - and that's the key for anyone really. I was able to do that for periods of time and have some success and hopefully for the rest of my career I can remember that."

Bates' Otago team-mate Eden Carson bagged the Phyl Blackler Cup for bowling excellence after she impressed in both competitions, with 17 wickets in 12 Super Smash matches and 18 wickets in the Shield including 5 for 17 in the final.

Trent Boult and Sophie Devine were named the T20I Players of the Year in the men's and women's categories respectively.

Boult picked up 23 wickets in 15 matches last year, including 13 wickets in seven games at the 2021 T20 World Cup in October-November. This is Devine's second consecutive NZC T20I award, after finishing 2021 with 114 runs and six wickets in seven matches.

"T20 is a format I really enjoy, and one I'm constantly trying to adapt my game to in order to become a better bowler," Boult said. "It means a lot. It's something very special to win this award and I feel really grateful to receive it."

The Wellington pair of Kerr and Michael Bracewell have been named Super Smash Players of the Year in the women's and men's categories respectively, while Ross Taylor's match-winning wicket in his last Test in Christchurch was voted as the fan moment of the summer.

Allrounder Kerr had a superb run in the T20 format too, contributing to Wellington's title win with 346 runs and 17 wickets in 11 matches, while captain Bracewell's 478 runs in ten games - including an unbeaten 141 off 65 balls - earned him a call-up to New Zealand men's white-ball side for the recently-concluded series against Netherlands.

"For me, the focus is on just trying to enjoy my cricket," Kerr said. "I'd worked hard throughout that last winter so it was pleasing to go out there and perform in the season. I absolutely love playing for the Blaze, and to complete an unbeaten season was really special. I've also got to thank the people around me who have supported me this season."

Auckland left-arm spinner Fran Jonas and Otago batter Jacob Cumming were named the Young Players of the Year.