New Delhi: New Zealand all-rounder Melie Kerr etched her name in history books on Tuesday by becoming the first Kiwi winner of the coveted Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, claiming the title of ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year for her extraordinary performances in 2024.
The 24-year-old stood the tallest among her competitors, beating the likes of Laura Wolvaardt, Chamari Athapaththu, and Annabel Sutherland to claim the top prize in women’s cricket.
Kerr is the first Kiwi cricketer to win the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and the first New Zealander to be recognised as ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year in any category.
Kerr also won the ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year Award on Saturday.
All-round excellence
In 2024, Kerr cemented her place as a world-class all-rounder with sensational performances with bat, ball and in the field. She established herself as one of the top fielders in the world in 2024 and proved to be a nightmare for the batters with her leg-spinners. Throughout the year, Kerr emerged as the White Ferns’ match-winner with the ball on several occasions.
She excelled with the bat too, proving the strongest pillar in New Zealand’s batting lineup. Her ability to play expansive innings to capitalise on strong starts and pull-off repair jobs made her a standout performer for the White Ferns.
Kerr is only the fourth player to be awarded the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, which was introduced in 2017. Before Kerr Australia’s Ellyse Perry, India’s Smriti Mandhana, and England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt, each won the award twice.
Kerr’s record in 2024
Kerr scored 264 runs at an average of 33, and she also bagged 14 wickets in nine One Day Internationals in 2024. She was the most effective in T20 Internationals where her performances helped her win the Cricketer of the Year award. In 18 T20Is, she scored 387 runs and snared 29 wickets to set a national record for a single calendar year.
Her career highlight came at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup where she was named the Player of the Tournament and claimed the Player of the Match award in the final as New Zealand’s women won their first ICC T20 World Cup after beating South Africa in the final.
Amelia Kerr: Double delight for Kiwi all-rounder as she claims ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year award two days after winning the ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year award. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
