Daryl Mitchell, Amelia Kerr take top honours in NZC awards

Daryl Mitchell has been awarded the Richard Hadlee Medal for the first time, while all-rounder Amelia Kerr has won the inaugural Debbie Hockley Medal in New Zealand Cricket's award ceremony in Auckland on Thursday (March 23). 

Mitchell has been awarded after a stellar year, especially in Tests, that has seen him rise to eighth in the ICC rankings among batters. He has ended the year with 913 Test runs at 70.23 which includes a highest score of 190 against England at Trent Bridge. He has crossed 50 in an innings nine out of 16 times.

Kerr, who was also bestowed with the T20I player of the year has slammed 423 runs at a strike-rate of 1122.0 and her leg-spinners have fetched her 17 wickets at 20.41 to go with an economy rate of 5.52. She also scored at an average of 40.66 in ODIs.

Tom Blundell has had a phenomenal year for his improved show in the Test arena and as a result was named New Zealand's Test player of the year, while Michael Bracewell and Glenn Phillips were named ODI and T20I player of the year respectively.

Blackcaps skipper Tim Southee walked away with the Winsor Cup for men's first-class bowling, accumulating 32 wickets and in the process going past Daniel Vettori's tally and currently has 370 wickets to his name He is now New Zealand's second-highest wicket-taker, only behind Richard Hadlee, who finished with 431 scalps.

NZC awards:

Richard Hadlee Medal: Daryl Mitchell

Debbi Hockley Medal: Amelia Kerr

Men's Test player of the year: Tom Blundell

Men's ODI player of the year: Michael Bracewell

Men's T20I player of the year: Glenn Phillips

Women's ODI player of the year: Suzie Bates

Women's T20I player of the year: Amelia Kerr