Williamson, Taylor, Devine among New Zealand limited-overs award winners
Apr 30, 2020
Christchurch [New Zealand], April 30 : Four of New Zealand cricket's modern-day stars - Kane Williamson, Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates and Ross Taylor were in the limelight as the white ball honours for the 2019-20 season were handed out on Thursday during a virtual presentation of the New Zealand Cricket Awards.
Devine and Taylor were named the women's and men's International T20 Players of the Year respectively, while Williamson and Bates were both rewarded for consistency with the bat as they claimed the ODI Player of the Year gongs.
Williamson's recognition followed a spectacular campaign at the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, where his 578 runs at an average of 82, including two centuries, culminated in him being named player of the tournament.
"Kane was simply exceptional at the ICC Cricket World Cup last year. He leads the team well, he has his own style and certainly the respect of his peers. His calm, purposeful demeanour flows through his leadership and, in turn, the team," said Kiwis head coach Gary Stead.
"He can be extremely proud of what he achieved at the tournament in the UK. He scored his runs at crucial times, in crucial matches and he set a tempo throughout the tournament that allowed us to play some superb cricket," he added.
The International men's T20 Player of the Year, Taylor, scored 330 T20 runs with a strike-rate of 130.
Williamson's number three counterpart in the White Ferns, Suzie Bates, is the women's ODI Player of the Year.
Despite only having one ODI series against South Africa at home this summer, Bates showed her class scoring 142 runs at an average of 42.
Bates scored two half-centuries in the three-match series against South Africa, reinforcing her reputation as one of the best ODI players in the world.
Meanwhile, it was the continuation of a blockbuster T20 summer for captain Sophie Devine.
She was the obvious choice for the International Women's T20 Player of the Year, scoring her maiden T20 century while also becoming the first player, male or female, to reach 50 in five, and then six, consecutive T20Is.
Devine scored 429 runs at an average of 71 and at a strike-rate of 132 - employing a power game that rivals the best female players in the world.
Tomorrow is the fourth and final day of the New Zealand Cricket Awards where the more top accolades will be announced, including the International Test Player of the Year, the G.J. Gardner Homes New Zealand Umpire of the Year and the supreme award, the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal.
