New Zealand has been glorified with Christopher Martin-Jenkins Spirit of Cricket award for their “sporting conduct” in the consequence of the World Cup final at Lord’s. The award was originated in the fond memory of Martin-Jenkins who had keen desire all his life to see the game being played with right spirit and passion and was handed to Williamson after concluding the Hamilton Test.
The Black Caps were crushed after a tied super over in the final of World Cup as they scored fewer boundaries, but were praised by the judging panel for their “sportsmanship, humility and selflessness in defeat” following Jos Buttler’s run-out of Martin Guptill.
Even after the heart-breaking defeat on the final night, the team became Champions as they showcased how to handle the loss with grace. Sangakkara, the president of the Marylebone Cricket Club, one of the creators of the award, commended the Blackcaps, saying: “The New Zealand team are worthy winners of this award. In the heat of battle, they displayed a level of sportsmanship that was fitting for such a fantastic finale, and indeed tournament. It is a testament to their squad that even after a match that will live long in the memory for the cricket that was played, we are still talking about the Spirit of Cricket. Their actions deserve this recognition.”
Melodramatic situations were formed after Williamson’s side was tied with England after the 50-overs with the most renown Super Over this year’s World Cup after New Zealand hit fewer boundaries. The iconic final was also masked by a questionable on-field call of awarding an additional overthrow run despite the two batsmen not having crossed at the time of release by the fielder. New Zealand neither protested vocally nor led any appeals in the outcome and Williamson and his team were universally lauded for their elegance and humility.
