Getting up and bettering 1999 was always going to be difficult for New Zealand's cricketers, after all, it is not every year you beat England at home 2-1 and then take a 2-0 home series win over the West Indies.

And 2000 was not a better year than last, but it was a better year than most.

The winning of the ICC KnockOut in Nairobi was a huge boost for the game in New Zealand, especially after all the reconstruction of the game in New Zealand in the mid-90s.

A series win over Zimbabwe was expected, a 0-5 drubbing in the one-day series with South Africa was not. A competitive series with a great Australian team was expected though a 0-3 series defeat was not.

A CricInfo Women's World Cup win was hoped for, dreamed about even, but it was always known the Australians would be hard to beat. What wasn't anticipated was the fact that the CLEAR White Ferns would so win the hearts of the nation by the manner of their last over win in the Cup final.

Nor were the horrific run of injuries anticipated. It is doubtful New Zealand cricket history has ever seen a run of injuries to key players as happened this year.

It has been a year to forget in that regard, but a year to remember in so many other areas.

In order to remember what a year it was we have decided to present the CricInfo Awards for 2000. The winners are:

The innings of the year:

Two choices stand out here, both by the same man, Chris Cairns. His 109 in the third Test against Australia at the Basin Reserve was a classic. It was a sensibly constructed innings based on building partnerships, punishing bad balls, and then attacking and not being intimidated by the might of the Australians. Add it to his second innings effort of 69 which included six sixes and four fours it was the surest confirmation His strokeplay that day was among the most powerful seen on the international stage since Ian Botham was in his prime.

The second was his outstanding century in the ICC KnockOut tournament in Nairobi. Coming in with New Zealand in some discomfort, he steered the side out of trouble and then set up a thrilling win, scoring his century just before hitting the winning runs to give New Zealand its first tournament victory and to confirm his place among the foremost all-rounders of the game at the moment, and starting to make his own way up the list of all-time all-rounders.

Notable contenders are: Mark Richardson's triple century in Zimbabwe, the first occasion by a New Zealand batsman since Ken Rutherford in England in 1986, Craig McMillan's century just completed at the Basin Reserve, and Matt Horne's effort with his hand injury in Zimbabwe.

Shot of the year: It could only be Chris Cairns' side-on straight drive of Aussie maestro Shane Warne for six at WestpacTrust Park in Hamilton. This was a batsman in total confidence against one of the world's finest bowlers. The rematch in Australia next summer could be very eventful, and all the more reason for Cairns to make sure his knee is ready for the exercise.

Wicket of the year: The run out of Sachin Tendulkar in Nairobi after he and Sourav Ganguly had scored 141 opening the innings for India in the ICC KnockOut final. Scott Styris created something out of nothing so well that when the third umpire called for the television eye, Tendulkar wasn't in the hunt.

Runner up: When Daniel Vettori bowled Damien Martyn at Auckland to complete the first 100 wickets of his Test career it completed one of the more remarkable introductions to Test cricket and highlighted the value of Vettori to New Zealand. He took his first seven wicket bag but then bowed out with a back injury that troubles him still. His return is keenly awaited.

Catch of the year: CLEAR White Ferns wicket-keeper Rebecca Rolls' outstanding effort on what turned out to be the last ball of the CricInfo Women's World Cup final. Standing up to off-spinner Clare Nicholson, Rolls took what was an edge from hell with quite the most assured grace. There was a momentary, fleeting even, look of astonishment on her face then came the appeal. Some would say it was lucky that the catch caught in the webbing of her glove. Rubbish. She had to have her gloves in the right place to start with, she had to be ready to seize the opportunity. She did and when you prepare sufficiently for every opportunity, luck has nothing to do with outcomes.

Run out of the year: Helen Watson's throw to dismiss Australia's Karen Rolton in the CricInfo Women's World Cup final. This made possible New Zealand's win. The most belligerent of Australia's batsmen was not going to be an impediment to victory. It also showed New Zealand's women that they were entitled to respect from the Australians who had only paid lip service to that notion before the final.

Partnership of the year: It has been forgotten in all the hubbub and jubilation of the later ICC KnockOut success, but a 66-run stand between Craig McMillan and Scott Styris against Pakistan actually got New Zealand into the final. They were joined at 187/6 with New Zealand needing 66 more to win with 73 balls and four wickets left. Normally, a New Zealand team facing that sort of target against Pakistan has missed out.

But the odds had to change some time and after being knocked out of two World Cup semi-finals by Pakistan, it was New Zealand's turn. McMillan with 51 off 56 balls and Styris with 28 off 31 got New Zealand through with an over to spare.

Runners-up had to be Haidee Tiffen and Anna O'Leary for the CLEAR White Ferns against India in their pool match of the World Cup. They scored 98 off 72 balls. O'Leary had been struggling for her rhythm while New Zealand was battling to get a reasonable score.

Tiffen changed that after surviving a first ball catch. She single-handedly changed the game's momentum by running straight and hard between the wickets. As she seemed to glide down the track at speed she breathed new life into a New Zealand team looking for something to believe in to make the step up to compete with Australia. And as the confidence grew Tiffen unleashed a quality of stroke play that augurs well for the future marketing of women's cricket in New Zealand. She scored her 50 off 36 balls.

Find of the year: Chris Martin. A classic example of a player stepping up to take his chance when opportunity knocked on his door. Martin appears to be a player who thrives on the challenge that is international cricket and as a late developer he also seems to be beyond the back strains and injuries that afflict so many of the faster bowlers around now. With Dion Nash's future uncertain, Martin is shaping as a substitute with his own appeal.

Pitch of the year: The Basin Reserve for the Australian Test in March. How could things change so quickly when hardly any winter sport was played on the ground?

Dog Tucker pitch of the year: The Basin Reserve for the Boxing Day Test against Zimbabwe. This was not an honourable pitch. It was an embarrassment. A throw-back to the dark days when New Zealand was justly thrown into the cot case category by overseas teams, not without some justification.

The pitch in Wellington went against everything New Zealand Cricket has been trying to eliminate in pitch preparation in this country which is aimed at providing quality cricket for players to enjoy, and for the spectators to appreciate the finer skills of the game.

ODI of the year: The ICC KnockOut final with the CricInfo Women's World Cup final a close second.

Hard luck of the year: Mark Richardson and Stephen Fleming joining the depressing list of batsmen to have been dismissed on 99 in Test matches.

Psychological ploy of the year: The move by the New Zealand women to look their Australian opponents in the eye at every opportunity before the start of their World Cup final. It is not something New Zealanders do by their nature. But it let the Australians know they were in for a battle and who knows, it may have been the start of some self doubt which later emerged when the Australians were under grave pressure.

Wishlist for the New Year: Injuries to be non-existent among New Zealand's players, the opening position to be resolved, Daniel Vettori to be fully restored to health and for a ding-dong old series with Australia, in Australia, next summer.

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