New Zealand and Otago Sparks captain Suzie Bates' cricketing pedigree has been recognised at the highest level as Wisden's Leading Women's Cricketer of the World, while Kane Williamson became the first Kiwi to receive the men's equivalent.
The 2016 edition of the sport's oldest annual concluded Bates' all-round performances last year warranted its top accolade.
The publication stated: ‘‘Bates spent 2015 consolidating her status as one of the power hitters of the women's game, not least when scoring 258 during the 5-0 one-day whitewash of Sri Lanka.
‘‘But the highlight was her sixth one-day century, made in the victory over England in February.''
Editor Lawrence Booth commented: ‘‘It needed something special to deny both [Australians] Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry this award, and Bates' all-round performances were precisely that.''
Lanning was the award's inaugural recipient last year.
Bates (28) has led the White Ferns in 45 of her 84 ODIs and 46 of her 83 T20s after permanently taking the role in 2012.
Earlier this month she was named player of the year at the Otago Cricket awards. She was the second-highest scorer in the one-day competition with 495 runs at an average of 61.87 and Otago's leading wicket-taker with 13 at an average of 30.46.
Bates made her debut in 2006 and worked around basketball commitments with the Tall Ferns, including selection for the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008.
Her attacking style makes her a pioneer of women's cricket as it strides towards professionalism.
That has never more prevalent than last summer, when the Australian women's Big Bash League delivered record viewing audiences on Channel 10.
Bates, who played for the Perth Scorchers, was one of seven New Zealanders on contracts estimated to be worth between $A3000 and $10,000 ($NZ3300 and $11,000).
Top women's cricketers also can look forward to work opportunities in England this year with the launch of the six-franchise Super League.
Add 10 New Zealand Cricket contracts worth $10,000 - plus match fees - and an income stream takes shape.
Williamson and former Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum were also named as two of the publication's five cricketers of the year.
Williamson's honour has been bestowed only since 2004. He joins Australians Ricky Ponting, Shane Warne and Michael Clarke, Indians Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag (twice), Sri Lankans Muttiah Muralitharan and Kumar Sangakkara (twice), South Africans Jacques Kallis and Dale Steyn, and Englishman Andrew Flintoff as past recipients.
The cricketer of the year awards have been handed out in various formats since 1889. The principal criterion is excellence during the previous English summer.
This year is the first time two New Zealand players have been selected in the same season. The other three players were England all-rounder Ben Stokes, born in Christchurch, England's Jonny Bairstow and Australia's Steve Smith.
Williamson's 132 for New Zealand against England at Lord's last May made him the sixth batsman to score 10 or more test centuries before turning 25. Drawing on four seasons' English county experience, Williamson became the 13th New Zealand name to appear on the ground's ‘‘visitors'' batting honours board.
He is part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad Indian Premier League squad but will rejoin Yorkshire from June 9 to July 18 as it chases three consecutive county championships. - NZME.
