New Zealand Cricket Awards 2023: Daryl Mitchell, Amelia Kerr sweep top honours

New Zealand Cricket (NZC), on Thursday, announced the NZC Awards, rewarding players from both Men’s and Women’s categories for their outstanding performances.

All-rounders Amelia Kerr and Daryl Mitchell swept the top honours as the duo bagged NZC’s flagship annual awards for being the outstanding women’s and men’s cricketers of the year. Kerr grabbed the inaugural Debbie Hockley medal, whereas Mitchell won the Sir Richard Hadlee medal at the NZC awards ceremony held in Auckland.

Celebrations are underway at the #ANZNZCAwards! Follow the awards LIVE in NZ with @sparknzsport and @TVNZ DUKE from 8.30 pm. #CricketNation #Cricket = @PhotosportNZ pic.twitter.com/X9s6WGoQmw

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) March 23, 2023

Mitchell also won the Redpath Cup for batting in first-class cricket and was recognised for his standout performances in the year, especially in the longest format. Notably, Mitchell smashed four Test centuries and played a crucial role with scores of 102 and 81 in the last-ball win against Sri Lanka in the Christchurch Test.

Similarly, Kerr won the women’s T20I Player of the Year award alongside the Hockley medal. She was New Zealand’s second-highest T20I scorer in the season, amassing 423 runs at an average of 32.53 and a strike rate of 112.20. She was also the joint second-highest wicket-taker with 17 scalps to her name.

Veteran cricketer Suzie Bates was named the ODI Player of the Year for her brilliant touch with the willow, scoring 222 runs, the most in the season, with the help of three half-centuries at an eye-catching average of 55.50.

When it comes to the Test Player of the Year award, New Zealand’s wicketkeeper-batter Tom Blundell won the recognition. He scored 849 runs at 60.64 and effected 38 dismissals behind the stumps. Further, Glenn Phillips was named T20 Cricketer of the Year under the men’s category, while Michael Bracewell bagged the ODI player of the year.

NZC Awards 2023:

• Debbie Hockley Medal: Amelia Kerr.
• Sir Richard Hadlee Medal: Daryl Mitchell.
• Women’s ODI Player of the Year: Suzie Bates
• Men’s ODI Player of the Year: Michael Bracewell.
• Women’s T20I Player of the Year: Amelia Kerr.
• Men’s T20I Player of the Year: Glenn Phillips.
• Test Player of the Year: Tom Blundell.
• Women’s Domestic Player of the Year: Kate Anderson (Canterbury).
• Men’s Domestic Player of the Year: Dean Foxcroft (Otago).
• Women’s Super Smash Player of the Year: Kate Anderson (Canterbury).
• Men’s Super Smash Player of the Year: Dean Foxcroft (Otago Volts).
• The Redpath Cup for men’s first-class batting: Daryl Mitchell.
• The Ruth Martin Cup for women’s domestic batting: Kate Anderson (Canterbury).
• The Winsor Cup for men’s first-class bowling: Tim Southee.
• The Phyl Blackler Cup for women’s domestic bowling: Gabby Sullivan (Canterbury).
• New Zealand Umpire of the Year: Chris Brown.
• Bert Sutcliffe Medal for Outstanding Services to Cricket: Heath Mills, chief executive NZCPA.