WELLINGTON: Veteran batsman Ross Taylor has won the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal as New Zealand’s cricket player of the year, claiming the top award for the third time in its 10-year history.

The presentation was made by Sir Richard on Friday, on the final day of New Zealand Cricket (NZC)’s virtual awards ceremony.

In a season of milestones, Taylor surpassed Stephen Fleming as New Zealand’s leading Test run-scorer and became the first player from any nation to play 100 international matches in all three formats.

The 36-year-old scored 1,389 runs across in Tests, One-day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals in the 2019-20 season, playing in all but one of New Zealand’s 32 internationals in the awards period.

“It’s been an amazing year, full of ups and downs,” Taylor, vowed to bat on until the 2023 World Cup in India, said. “A second [straight] World Cup final and losing [on the back of an obscure boundary countback rule]. The Boxing Day Test which was such a proud moment to be part of and to have so many Kiwis there supporting us was something I’ll never forget.”

Hadlee, regarded arguably as New Zealand’s greatest cricketer, spoke to Taylor by video link in a ceremony forced online by the coronavirus pandemic.

“I’ve followed your career since 2006 as I was part of the selection panel when you played your first ODI and then Test match,” Hadlee said. “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.”

Seam bowler Tim Southee was named New Zealand’s Test Player of the Year after previously winning the award as best bowler. In the four Tests New Zealand won during the awards period Southee took 25 wickets at an average of 16.4.

After back-to-back defeats in World Cup deciders, Taylor is hoping it’s third time lucky as he targets the 2023 tournament to be held in India.

“The biggest thing, I think, is the hunger and the mental motivation to keep getting better, if that’s still there then age is just a number,” he told reporters.

Taylor said he would remain with the Black Caps as long as he felt he deserved his spot and was contributing to the team.

“I’ll see if I can get to [age] 38 or 39, which will be the next World Cup, and we’ll see from there,” he said.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2020