Cricket: Blackcaps stars named to ICC Teams of the Year

Tom Latham.
Tom Latham. Photo credit: Getty

Blackcaps opener Tom Latham has been named his second straight ICC Test Team of the Year, as one of three New Zealanders included in the governing body's annual side.

Latham is joined by wicketkeeper BJ Watling and quick bowler Neil Wagner in the test line-up for 2019, while captain Kane Williamson and paceman Trent Boult have been included in the one-day equivalent.

The sides are selected by a specialist voting academy, consisting of prominent journalists, broadcasters and former players from around the world.

Latham enjoyed a stellar season in whites, scoring 150-plus against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, as well as centuries against England and Australia. 

Watling's heroics with the bat saw him emerge as arguably the world's premier wicketkeeper/batsman with an average of 55.90 runs, highlighted by a dogged double-century in the first test against England.

Hard-nosed bowler Wagner took five-wicket bags in both tests against England and was one of the few bright spots for New Zealand in the recent tour to Australia, where he claimed 17 wickets in 157.3 gruelling overs.

In the limited-overs realm, Williamson continued his brilliance with the bat, particularly at the World Cup in England, where he was named Player of the Tournament. He finished with an average of 59.25 runs through 2019.

Currently the ICC's second-ranked ODI bowler, Boult was the spearhead of New Zealand's charge to the World Cup final. He took 17 wickets at the tournament and 38 for the year, the second-highest behind India's Mohammed Shami.

Last year, batsman Ross Taylor was the only Blackcaps player in the ODI team, with Latham and Henry Nicholls selected to the test side.

Indian superstar Virat Kohli was named captain of both the test and ODI teams, one of three players, alongside Australian quick Mitchell Starc and England allrounder Ben Stokes, selected in both.

NZ-born Stokes was also given the Sir Garfield Sobers award for Cricketer of the Year.

Australian prodigy Pat Cummins was named Test Cricketer of the Year, while Indian batsman Rohit Shara claimed the prize for one-day cricket's best.

ICC ODI Team of the Year 2019: Rohit Sharma (India), Shai Hope (West Indies), Virat Kohli (India), Babar Azam (Pakistan), Kane Williamson (NZ), Ben Stokes (England), Jos Buttler (England), Mitchell Starc (Australia), Trent Boult (NZ), Mohammed Shami (India), Kuldeep Yadav (India)

ICC Test Team of the Year 2019: Mayank Agarwal (India), Tom Latham (NZ), Marnus Labuschagne (Australia), Virat Kohli (India), Steve Smith (Australia), Ben Stokes (England), BJ Watling (NZ), Pat Cummins (Australia), Mitchell Starc (Australia), Neil Wagner (NZ), Nathan Lyon (Australia)

Join us for live updates of the Blackcaps v India T20, ODI & test series