A sixth eye
On 20 November 2024, Japan hosted a gathering of senior enlisted members from the Five Eyes intelligence partnership in Tokyo.
Veteran Blackcaps bowler Tim Southee and former White Ferns captain Sophie Devine were named the best New Zealand cricketers for their achievements in the 2019/20 season.
Southee won The Players’ Cup as he became the Male Cricketer of the Season, while Devine was honoured with CPA Players’ Award in an online team presentation ceremony this afternoon.
The 30-year-old right-hander, Devine, was in a remarkable form last year and she continued her brilliance, hitting six successive fifty-plus scores in February 2020. She was also the top scorer for the White Ferns at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup this year.
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Devine’s award, which was her third consecutive, has made her the only second New Zealand cricketer after Kane Williamson to become the best cricketer on three straight occasions. Williamson had achieved the feat in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
NZPCA member and White Ferns legend Rebecca Rolls, who announced Devine’s name, said, “It is a real honour to be able to present this award to such a deserving recipient in Sophie”.
“Being recognised by your peers is the ultimate accolade for any player and this award is particularly relevant as it allows players to recognise statistical outputs alongside those intangible aspects that contribute toward the team’s performance,” Rolls added.
Southee, who has been rock solid for the Blackcaps throughout the year, won his second The Players’ Cap with the help of a slight lead over some of his teammates in the voting.
The 31-year-old pacer has performed with all his might in across formats of the game and has rightfully joined Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor in the list of men Kiwi cricketers to win the award multiple times.
Legendary spinner Daniel Vettori, while announcing Southee’s name, said, “Tim has had a remarkable year and is a truly deserving recipient of this award.”
“Earning the right to receive The Players’ Cap is difficult – it requires consistency of form, fitness, perseverance and above all else, meaningful contributions to the team on a regular basis, whatever the format,” Vettori added.
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