WHITE FERNS skipper Melie Kerr and BLACKCAPS paceman Jacob Duffy have starred on a memorable night at the ANZ New Zealand Cricket Awards, Kerr securing an unprecedented fourth straight Debbie Hockley Medal and Duffy claiming the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal.
Kerr’s fourth consecutive Debbie Hockley Medal reflects her place among the all-time greats of women’s cricket, the Wellington Blaze captain contributed to her side’s third straight Super Smash title while delivering consistently across all formats for the WHITE FERNS.
She topped the WHITE FERNS’ T20I run-scoring with 354 runs at an average of 70, earned the ANZ Women’s T20I Player of the Year award, and ranked second in wickets taken in women’s T20Is over the season.
“Quite simply, we’re talking about a dominant force in every facet of the game, and one of the most influential players in women’s cricket history,” said Debbie Hockley as she presented the medal.
Duffy was rewarded for a season of relentless, high-quality bowling across all formats, the fast bowler claiming 25 Test wickets at an outstanding average of 16, including three five-wicket hauls in just four Tests.
The Southlander delivered over 150 overs in the three-test series against the West Indies, more than any other New Zealand bowler, highlighted by a marathon 43-over stint against the West Indies in the first Test at Christchurch.
Duffy also picked up the ANZ Test Player of the Year award and the Winsor Cup for men’s first-class bowling, becoming one of the few players to claim three major awards in a single evening.
“Jacob’s durability, consistency, and ability to take wickets in pressure moments made him the most complete bowling performer of the season,” said Sir Richard Hadlee.
Other Award Winners
Tim Seifert claimed the ANZ Men’s T20I Player of the Year after an outstanding campaign with the bat.
His 739 T20I runs (300 more than the next-best BLACKCAP) came at a strike rate of 154 and average of 41, playing a key role in New Zealand’s run to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Final in India.
Daryl Mitchell was a clear winner of the ANZ Men’s ODI Player of the Year, piling up 692 runs at a remarkable average of 138 across eight innings, including three centuries and three fifties.
His form was central to the BLACKCAPS’ historic first ODI series win on Indian soil and saw him rise to ICC No. 1 ranked men’s ODI batter.
Brooke Halliday took out the ANZ Women’s ODI Player of the Year, leading the WHITE FERNS’ ODI run-scoring with 391 runs at an average of 71.
Her composure under pressure was a highlight of New Zealand’s ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup campaign.
Henry Nicholls swept the domestic batting honours, winning the Redpath Cup for men’s first-class batting (793 runs at 99, with four centuries and a high score of 226) and the Men’s Domestic Player of the Year award after also topping the Ford Trophy run charts.
Jess Kerr was the standout on the women’s domestic scene, claiming the Women’s Domestic Player of the Year, Super Smash Women’s Player of the Year, and Phyl Blackler Cup for women’s domestic bowling.
The Wellington Blaze captain featured in the top ten run-scorers and wicket-takers in both competitions and led her side to both domestic finals.
Katene Clarke was named Super Smash Men’s Player of the Year after topping the tournament run charts with 431 runs at a blistering strike rate of 172, helping the Northern Brave to the title and earning his maiden BLACKCAPS call-up and debut.
Kate Anderson won the Ruth Martin Cup for women’s domestic batting with 776 runs across the season, including 560 at an average of 70 in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield.
Chris Gaffaney was named G.J. Gardner Homes Umpire of the Year after another outstanding season on the ICC Elite Panel, including appointments to the Ashes and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup semi-final between India and England.
Bert Sutcliffe Medal
Former New Zealand player, board director, board chair, and NZC chief executive Martin Snedden was recognised with the Bert Sutcliffe Medal for outstanding services to cricket, considered the most prestigious of the non-playing categories at the annual awards.
Snedden has essentially been playing, supporting and advocating for the game in one form or another for the past 46 years, since he was first selected in the national team in 1980.
NZC Chair Diana Puketapu-Lyndon said of Snedden: “it’s widely agreed the time, energy, and passion Martin’s provided, as well as the scope of his influence, places him in a very small club of those who have made the greatest single contribution to cricket in New Zealand.”
Hall of Fame and Special Honours
Jeremy Coney and Haidee Tiffen were formally inducted into the NZC Hall of Fame, the first additions since the inaugural “First Eleven” class last summer. Coney captained New Zealand through its first golden era in the 1980s, while Tiffen was one of the world’s premier all-rounders between 1999 and 2009.
The evening also celebrated two historic international milestones. Suzie Bates became the first woman to play 350 internationals during the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in Indore in October and has since reached 360 matches, with more than 10,000 runs and 144 wickets to her name. In the same match, Sophie Devine played her 300th international, only the seventh woman to achieve the feat.
Farewells
Tributes were paid to five retiring players: Doug Bracewell, Lauren Down, Hayley Jensen, Mikaela Franks (née Greig) and Felicity Robertson (née Leydon-Davis).
Bracewell retires as one of the few modern New Zealand all-rounders to complete the elite first-class double of 4,000 runs and 400 wickets. He will be remembered for his match-winning six for 40 in Hobart in 2011, the decisive contribution in New Zealand’s only Test win in Australia since 1985.
Full List of 2026 ANZ New Zealand Cricket Awards Winners
Debbie Hockley Medal: Melie Kerr
Sir Richard Hadlee Medal: Jacob Duffy
Bert Sutcliffe Medal for Outstanding Services to Cricket: Martin Snedden
ANZ Test Player of the Year: Jacob Duffy
ANZ Men’s ODI Player of the Year: Daryl Mitchell
ANZ Women’s ODI Player of the Year: Brooke Halliday
ANZ Men’s T20I Player of the Year: Tim Seifert
ANZ Women’s T20I Player of the Year: Melie Kerr
Men’s Domestic Player of the Year: Henry Nicholls
Women’s Domestic Player of the Year: Jess Kerr
Super Smash Men’s Player of the Year: Katene Clarke
Super Smash Women’s Player of the Year: Jess Kerr
Redpath Cup (men’s first-class batting): Henry Nicholls
Ruth Martin Cup (women’s domestic batting): Kate Anderson
Winsor Cup (men’s first-class bowling): Jacob Duffy
Phyl Blackler Cup (women’s domestic bowling): Jess Kerr
G.J. Gardner Homes Umpire of the Year: Chris Gaffaney
