New Zealand Cricket has announced a new award to recognise its overall player of the year, retiring several other awards in the process.
The new award will be called the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal for the Supreme Player of the Year.
The chief executive of New Zealand Cricket Justin Vaughan says Sir Richard is New Zealand's finest player and the award acknowledges his achievements.
Sir Richard took 431 Test wickets and scored 3,124 runs in 86 Test matches.
In 115 one day internationals ODIs he claimed 158 wickets and scored 1,751 runs.
He was made a Member of the British Empire in 1981 and was knighted in 1990 before being formally inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009.
Vaughan says the Walter Hadlee Trophy for men's one day international batting, the Walter Hadlee Trophy for men's ODI bowling, the JR Reid All-rounder Award for men's allrounder, the Phyl Blackler Cup for women's bowling, the Ruth Martin Cup for women's batting and the National Bank Player of the Year have been retired.
The awards are being replaced by ones for the international player of the year in each of the three formats of the game, Twenty20, One Day Internationals and Tests.
The award winners for 2010-2011 season will be announced on November 10th.
