David Leggat: ODI gong worthy for having tons of talent

Amy Satterthwaite deserves the gong for her volume of runs. Photo / George Novak

Just in case it slips slightly under the radar, it's time to salute Amy Satterthwaite.

In case you need a reference, she is the New Zealand cricketer who this week was honoured by the International Cricket Council as its women's ODI player of the year.

It is the second consecutive year the award has gone to a New Zealand player, Satterthwaite following White Ferns skipper Suzie Bates to the honour.

Satterthwaite deserves the gong for her volume of runs.

In the voting period of September 21 last year to December 31 this year, she scored 1183 runs in 24 ODIs at a whopping 84.5.

Throw in 20 wickets and you see her importance to the national team.

The most eye-catching part of the 31-year-old's year was four successive ODI centuries between November and February.

The first three came off Pakistan at Lincoln and Nelson, the fourth off Australia in Auckland.

That takes some doing. You need skill, concentration and the odd slice of good fortune. Only one player has previously managed the feat, Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara - like Satterthwaite a lefthander.

Satterthwaite is captaining the Melbourne Renegades in the women's Big Bash League. She is now a pre-eminent figure in the women's game.

Satterthwaite takes a phlegmatic view of her four in a row achievement.

"You need situations to go in your favour to do something like that. It was something I will always remember," she said, adding winning the award was "pretty humbling".

New Zealand women's cricket is in decent shape now, notwithstanding a disappointing World Cup in July in England this year, which ended with a 186-run flogging from India.

Players such as Bates - who won the overall award in 2013, and followed that by becoming the first player to win the ODI and T20 cricketer of the year honours in the same year - Satterthwaite, dual hockey-cricket international Sophie Devine, fast bowler Lea Tahuhu and spinner Leigh Kasperek are leading the way for New Zealand. The first three have banked a mountain of experience, Tahuhu and Kasperek are proven wicket takers.

Then there's Amelia Kerr. The 17-year-old is a talent. The grand daughter of former New Zealand opener Bruce Murray, she has played 16 ODIs and taken 26 wickets at 21 each. Teammates talk of her as having a keen cricket brain and a bright presence in the dressing room.

Satterthwaite, Bates and Devine are aged 31, 30 and 28 respectively. They're not leaving any time soon. The blend of youth and experience looks encouraging.

Australian Ellyse Perry won the inaugural Rachael Heyhoe Flint Award for the Women's Cricketer of the Year. Satterthwaite was runnerup.

This is a good time to be involved in women's cricket. Numbers are encouraging; interest, courtesy at least in part because of the women's BBL, is on the rise.

New Zealand has players to match the best in the world. Sattherthwaite has just reinforced that.