Eight New Zealand cricket identities are in the running for the world’s top cricketing honours of 2009.
BLACKCAPS Daniel Vettori, Martin Guptill and Jesse Ryder have each been nominated in two categories in the long-list of nominees for the LG ICC Awards 2009.
White Ferns Suzie Bates, Haidee Tiffen and Aimee Watkins are also among the nominees, along with international umpires Tony Hill and Billy Bowden.
The long-list of nominees in the Awards was released in Mumbai, India by the ICC today – with the winners to be announced at an Awards ceremony in Johannesburg during the ICC Champions Trophy.
Vettori has been nominated in the Cricketer of the Year category, alongside 13 other players such as Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka), Harbhajan Singh (India), Mitchell Johnson (Australia) and Andrew Strauss (England).
After reaching the milestone of 300 Test wickets last week, Vettori is also nominated for Test Player of the Year, as is Jesse Ryder. Ryder made his Test debut less than a year ago but already has two centuries, four 50s and an average of 49.88 to his credit.
Ryder’s second nomination is in the Emerging Players category, where he is joined by fellow top order batsman Martin Guptill. Guptill also made an impressive start to his international career, with an unbeaten knock of 122 in his debut One Day International against the West Indies. With An ODI average of 56, Guptill earns his second nomination in the ODI Player of the Year category.
Recently retired White Ferns captain Haidee Tiffen, who led her team to second place in the ICC World Cup earlier this year, is nominated in the Women’s Cricketer of the Year category, alongside her successor, Aimee Watkins, and Suzie Bates. Watkins and Bates were both named in the ICC women’s team of the tournament after the Ferns came in runners-up at the World Twenty20 in England in June.
New Zealand’s two umpires on the ICC Emirates Elite Panel, Billy Bowden and recent appointee Tony Hill, are both nominated in the umpires category.
New Zealand Cricket Chief Executive Justin Vaughan described the nominations as a great recognition and honour for our players and officials.
“It is fitting that captain Daniel Vettori has been nominated for the highest award, Cricketer of the Year, as well as Test Player of the Year - reflecting his outstanding personal contribution to the BLACKCAPS team over the past 12 months, where he has consistently led from the front,” said Vaughan.
“It is also tremendous to see two of our leading young players recognised. Martin Guptill and Jesse Ryder are in their first full year of international cricket - and it is a sign of the talent and potential within the BLACKCAPS team that both have been nominated for the Emerging Player award.
“The nominations of retired White Ferns captain Haidee Tiffin, current captain Aimee Watkins and all-rounder Suzie Bates for the Women's Cricketer of the Year award are symbolic of a very successful White Ferns year.
“Having two of our leading umpires, Billy Bowden and Tony Hill, nominated for the Umpire of the Year award is also a real honour for New Zealand Cricket.”
New Zealand nominations for the LG ICC Awards 2009:
Cricketer of the Year
Daniel Vettori
Test Player of the Year
Jesse Ryder
Daniel Vettori
ODI Player of the Year
Martin Guptill
Emerging Player
Martin Guptill
Jesse Ryder
Women’s Cricketer of the Year
Suzie Bates
Haidee Tiffin
Aimee Watkins
Umpire of the Year
Billy Bowden
Tony Hill
