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New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell on Thursday won the prestigious Sir Richard Hadlee Medal at the New Zealand Cricket Awards for his standout performances in the year, especially in Test cricket.
Mitchell, who also won the Redpath Cup for men's first-class batting, was recognised for a stand-out year across the board but particularly at Test level, where he scored four centuries, played a leading hand in New Zealand's' last ball win against Sri Lanka at Christchurch, and rose to No.8 in the World Test batting rankings. He ended the year with 913 Test runs at an average of 70.23, including a highest score of 190 against England at Trent Bridge. In 16 Test innings, he scored 50 or more on nine occasions. New Zealand wicket-keeper Tom Blundell was recognised for his continued improvement in red-ball cricket with the ANZ Test Player of the Year award. Blundell totalled 849 runs at 60.64 with the bat, including two centuries and six half-centuries. He was polished behind the stumps, effecting 38 dismissals, including nine stumpings and the scrambling, diving catches down the legside to complete the dismissal of England's James Anderson, sealing New Zealand's one-run Test win at the Cello Basin Reserve. Test captain Tim Southee, was the winner of the Winsor Cup for men's first-class bowling after another strong year in the five-day format, taking 32 Test wickets and increasing his career tally to 370, in the process overtaking Daniel Vettori as New Zealand's second-highest Test wicket-taker to Sir Richard Hadlee. Glenn Phillips was rewarded for a brilliant season for New Zealand in the shortest format of the game by being named the ANZ Men's T20I Player of the Year award, having thrilled New Zealand supporters with 740 runs at 38.94, scored a strike rate of 148.89. Phillips scored a century against Sri Lanka in the ICC T20 World Cup, added six more half-centuries, was selected in the World Cup tournament team, and was named man of the series against Ireland, Scotland, the West Indies and India. He was also one of New Zealand's most exciting fielders, taking 18 catches - several of them worthy of catch-of-the-season discussions. Michael Bracewell was named the ANZ Men's ODI Player of the Year after a stand-out season in which he scored 510 runs at 42.50, including two eye-opening centuries: an unbeaten 127 off 82 balls against Ireland, and an even more remarkable 140 off 78 balls against India at Hyderabad. Bracewell also continued his development as a useful off-spinner, taking 14 wickets at a respectable economy rate of 5.32. Chris Brown was named the Umpire of the Year after another strong season in New Zealand, during which he was invited by the ICC to stand in a Bangladesh-India Test series, an honour normally reserved for the ICC Elite Panel of umpires. The Bert Sutcliffe Medal for Outstanding Service to Cricket was awarded to the New Zealand Cricket Players Association long-standing chief executive, Heath Mills. (ANI)
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