Tim Southee and Tom Latham bagged the top awards at the 2020 New Zealand Cricket annual awards that have been presented online for the first time due to the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Outclassing Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, Latham, who had a phenomenal 2019 and was named as a member of the ICC's team of 2019, has won the Redpath Cup as New Zealand's best batsman for the first time, having scored 608 runs at 40.53 in Tests.
Latham broke a seven-year streak in which either Williamson or Taylor won the Redpath Cup. He has been honored for his brilliant 608 runs in nine tests with his best scores was 154 against Sri Lanka last August to help New Zealand win the second test and level the two-match series.
Meanwhile, Southee won the Windsor Cup as New Zealand's best bowler for the first time since 2014, as the trophy has been won by either Trent Boult or Neil Wagner over the past five seasons.
In the awards periods, Southee took 40 wickets at an average of 21.47, helping New Zealand to win Test matches over Sri Lanka in Colombo, England in Mount Maunganui, and India in Wellington and Christchurch.
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On the honor, Southee said: “It's a great honor. The way we played our Test cricket at home this summer was especially pleasing. To beat England first up was a great effort and then to perform so well against a very good Indian side was immensely satisfying.”
While New Zealand head coach Gary Stead said during the award presentation, “This season we faced some of the very best bowling attacks in the world and Tom was an absolute rock at the top for us.”
He added, “Even in Australia when we were under severe pressure he managed to dig in and deny them for extended periods of time - it's that courage and determination I really admire.”
On the other hand, Wellington's Devon Conway and Katie Gurrey of the Northern Spirit took out the awards for best domestic batters, while former New Zealand wicket keeper-turned-commentator Ian Smith was awarded the Bert Sutcliffe Medal for his outstanding service to cricket.
(With IANS Inputs)
