Swashbuckling batsman Ross Taylor has been awarded for his excellent performances across all the three formats of the game by handing him Sir Richard Hadlee Medal for the third time at the annual New Zealand Cricket Awards, which concluded on Friday.
The 36-year-old has notched up a total of 1,389 runs across the three formats during the relevant period which started from the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men's Cricket World Cup 2019. He is leading the run-scoring chart for New Zealand clearly by over 200 runs, with skipper Kane Williamson occupying the second spot.
During the period, he smashed two centuries and nine half-centuries and also surpassed former cricketer Stephen Fleming's tally to become the leading run-scorer for the country in the longest format of the game and solidified his place at the top spot in in ODI rankings.
Congratulating Taylor for picking up the award, Hadlee lauded the batsman for being a wonderful performer and holding a fantastic record for the national side.
"I’ve watched your progress over the past 14 years and I just want to congratulate you on all your performances and records to date.You’ve been a wonderful performer, you’ve got a fantastic record and on behalf of New Zealand Cricket I’d just like to say thanks very much for your contribution, not only to New Zealand cricket – but to world cricket," the ICC website quoted Hadlee as saying when conferring the honour upon Taylor via video link.
Meanwhile, Taylor's teammate Tim Southee has been named the top Test player of the year at the annual awards.
Southee claimed a total of 40 wickets at an average of 21.47 during the season.
Kim Cotton bagged the the Umpire of the Year award after becoming the first woman umpire from the country to officiate an ICC World Cup final during the Women's T20 event in Australia at a jam-packed Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
On Thursday, skipper Kane Williamson and White Ferns' Suzie Bates named men's and women's ODI Players of the Year, respectively.
Meanwhile, Ross Taylor and women's skipper Sophie Devine picked up the T20I Players of the Year awards.
