14 Jan 2016

Sporting highlights for 2015 announced

10:35 am on 14 January 2016

Ten sporting highlights from 2015 have been nominated for the Sporting Moment of the Year Award, the only category voted for by the public at the Halberg Awards.

The sporting moment award gives the New Zealand public the opportunity to choose the nation's most exciting, remarkable, or compelling sporting moment, game or series in 2015.

Basketball, cricket, rugby league, rugby, golf, and football all feature in the finalists list.

Final points clinchers that created some of the biggest sports highlights of the year are shortlisted including;

Ekene Ibekwe's last second shot to secure the ANBL championship for the Breakers, Beauden Barrett's Rugby World Cup final try and Grant Elliott's six on the second to last ball to put New Zealand through to the Cricket World Cup final.

Grant Elliott celebrates hitting the winning runs to put New Zealand into their first Cricket World Cup final.

Grant Elliott celebrates hitting the winning runs to put New Zealand into their first Cricket World Cup final. Photo: Photosport

Career milestones from Richie McCaw (most-capped test rugby player), Ross Taylor (scoring the highest test score ever by a visiting batsman in Australia) and Lydia Ko (becoming the youngest major winner ever at the Evian Championship) are also up for the public vote.

Lydia Ko - becomes golf's youngest major winner, male or female.

Lydia Ko - becomes golf's youngest major winner, male or female. Photo: Photosport

The Highlanders first Super Rugby Championship win, the Kiwis winning the ANZAC test for the first time in 17 years and the Football Ferns beating Brazil are also in contention.

Ben Smith and Nasi Manu hold the Super Rugby trophy aloft after the Highlanders historic win.

Ben Smith and Nasi Manu hold the Super Rugby trophy aloft after the Highlanders historic win. Photo: Photosport

Warrior Nathan Friend's impressive back-flip to set up a try against the Melbourne Storm rounds out the finalists list.

Sports fans can vote for their choice online at www.sportingmoment.co.nz.

The winner will be announced at the Halberg Awards on February 18th.

Sporting Moment of the Year finalists are:

1. Breakers - win the Australian National Basketball League Championship on Ekene Ibekwe's last-second shot (Breakers v Taipans, ANBL final, Auckland).

2. Grant Elliott - smashes a six off the second-to-last ball of the semi-final to put the BLACKCAPS into the Cricket World Cup final (Black Caps v South Africa, Cricket World Cup semi-final, Auckland)

3. Kiwis - defeat Australia in the ANZAC test for the first time in 17 years (New Zealand v Australia, Anzac test, Brisbane)

4. The Highlanders - win their first Super Rugby championship (Highlanders v Hurricanes, Super Rugby final, Wellington)

5. Warriors - Nathan Friend's back-flip sets up miracle try in win over Melbourne Storm (Warriors v Storm, Auckland)

6. Richie McCaw - becomes rugby's most-capped test player (All Blacks v Australia, Bledisloe Cup, Auckland)

7. Lydia Ko - becomes the youngest major winner (male or female) ever at the 2015 Evian Championship (The Evian Championship, Évian-les-Bains, France)

8. All Blacks - Beauden Barrett's try clinches the Rugby World Cup for New Zealand (All Blacks v Wallabies, Rugby World Cup final, London)

9. Ross Taylor - scores 290 against Australia, the highest test score ever by a visiting batsman in Australia (Black Caps v Australia, second test, Perth)

10. Football Ferns - Amber Hearn's goal propels the Football Ferns to a 1-0 win over world powerhouse Brazil (New Zealand v Brazil, Sao Paulo, Brazil)