In Johannesburg last night the Black Caps won the award representing the ‘Spirit of Cricket'.
Daniel Vettori accepted the award. This is a high accolade for the Vettori captained side. Daniel must take a lot of credit for this. In the Northern Districts region he is much respected, let alone internationally.

When he gets to spend a few days in Hamilton each year Daniel always turns out for his club Star Varsity. He not only plays but also plays well scoring fifties and hundreds on some pretty difficult wickets. He also turns out for Hamilton in the Fergus Hickey.
I distinctly remember a vital game we had for the Bay of Plenty versus Hamilton when Dan turned out. BOP needed points and the wicket at Galloway Park was sodden through the covers. Two strips along was another old strip that was dry. Needing points we agreed to move strips to the old dusty one. Hamilton batted first and Dan opened and belted us everywhere. It was like watching McCullum. Hamilton declared at about 260. We came to bat and Dan took 8 wickets and we were cleaned out for just on 100.
One person changed the direction of our season. This is the value of a star player, much like Carter for Canterbury. However, star players often tend to recuperate instead of turning out for the lower grades.
One of the reasons Thilkaratne Dilshan will play for the Knights this season is that he would like to work with Dan as he has seen him work on the international stage and has a lot of respect for him.
This is the award that the BC's received. It is for their on-field conduct, but in the days of video phones and youtube one scandal can sink a year of fair play out on the oval.
The New Zealand cricket team was named as the recipients of the Spirit of Cricket award at the LG ICC awards in Johannesburg.
It is the second time New Zealand has won this award (the first being in 2004) which is presented to the team which, in the opinion of the Emirates Elite Panels of ICC Umpires and Match Referees and the Ten Full Member captains has best conducted itself on the field within the spirit of the game.
The award was presented to New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori by Haroon Lorgat, the chief executive of the ICC.
Upon receiving the award on behalf of his team Vettori said, 'I think most teams within world cricket aspire to the intangible notion of the Spirit of Cricket. It's not easy to define but I think when you get out on the field of play most guys know where that line is and most play the game in the right way.
'If we can couple the Spirit of Cricket award with the ICC Champions Trophy then we will be very happy indeed.”
This spirit is described in the preamble to the Laws of Cricket, 'Cricket is a game that owes much of its unique appeal to the fact that it should be played not only within its Laws but also within the ‘Spirit of the Game'. Any action which is seen to abuse this spirit causes injury to the game itself.”