Bond is the Best; Shane Bond adjudged Kiwi Cricketer of the Year

Christchurch, May 16 (UNI) Pace ace Shane Bond was crowned Kiwi Cricketer of the Year at the New Zealand Cricket award function in Auckland tonight.

The fast bowler claimed 38 one-day international wickets this season, including a hat-trick against Australia in Hobart, and a five-wicket haul against the world champions at Wellington.

He also claimed 10 Test wickets, and was the man of the match in the first National Bank Test against Sri Lanka here earlier this year, his first ever Test apperance in his home city.

Meanwhile, Scott Styris, who scored 655 ODI runs during the season, including 499 in the just completed World Cup in the Caribbean, won the Walter Hadlee Trophy awarded for the most meritorious batting by a New Zealand player in ODIs.

The Redpath Cup for best performing first class batsman went to Canterbury's Michael Papps, who struck 1005 runs at an average of 91.36.

While former allrounder Chris Harris bagged the domestic cricketer of the year after captaining Canterbury to the State Championship final, while scoring 428 runs at 42.8 and taking 13 wickets.

UNI