What were Halberg judges thinking in snubbing Patel?

Just over a year ago, Black Caps spinner Ajaz Patel achieved something only two other players in the almost 150-year history of test cricket have achieved - to take all ten wickets in an innings.

A genuine iconic achievement in New Zealand sporting history. Or so you would think.

But apparently not, according to the Halberg Sports Awards - for Patel can't even make the list of finalists for the Sportsman of the Year prize.

More than 2000 cricket tests have been played since 1877 and in that time only three bowlers - England's Jim Laker, India's Anil Kumble and New Zealand spinner Patel - have managed the feat.

Laker took 10-53 against Australia in the second innings of the test in Manchester in 1956, having taken nine in the first innings to finish with match figures of 19-90.

43 years later, Anil Kumble took 10-74 in 1999 against Pakistan in Delhi.

Then, a further 22 years on, along came Ajaz Patel.

But none of this, it seems, rates.

When judging performances the Halberg Foundation website says judges must look at whether "the achievement, was it in that sport's 'pinnacle event' (eg Olympics, Paralympics, World Cup)?...

"Was it a world record, world ranking or recognition (eg 'World Player of the Year')?

"The quality of the field/competition ... and the global nature of the sport" should also be taken in account.

Now I am not decrying the achievements of the five Sportsman of the Year finalists.

Squash player Paul Coll, who defended the British Open title and won the singles gold at the Commonwealth Games.

Cyclist Aaron Gate, who won four Commonwealth Games medals in Birmingham, Olympic freeskier gold medallist Nico Porteous, World Champion trampolinist Dylan Schmidt and Supercars Championship winner Shane van Gisbergen.

But let's break them down and compare them.

It's estimated over 20 million squash players participate regularly world-wide in over 185 countries so it is certainly a global sport and, while the British Open could be regarded as the pinnacle event of 2022 for the sport, it is not the World Champs, which are held in alternate years.

But fair call for Coll to be a finalist.

As an FYI, it's estimated there are 30 million cricketers worldwide.

Aaron Gate had a marvellous Commonwealth Games - four gold medals - coming on both the velodrome and the road.

But the Commonwealth Games are a far cry from being cycling's pinnacle event - the World Champs they are certainly not.

While New Zealand may revel in the success of our athletes at the Commonwealth Games - many of the powerhouses of track cycling don't compete at the Commonwealth Games, for they are simply not part of the Commonwealth.

No world record either.

Gate's performances were a highlight of Birmingham for New Zealand, but Patel should make the list ahed of him.

An Olympic gold medal makes you an automatic Halberg contender, so no argument Nico Porteous should be there.

Skiing is a costly sport to be part of, and certainly not as accessible cricket, but the Olympics are a pinnacle event and his achievement certainly meets the award criteria.

The same can't be said for New Zealand's Australian Supercar champion Shane van Gisbergen.

This is a competition that is far from the pinnacle of motor racing, and essentially of only taken notice of in New Zealand and Australia.

It's not Formula 1, it's not Indycar, it's not Nascar, it's not the World Rally Championship.

Kudos for Van Gisbergen for winning the title, again.

But where have the leading New Zealand drivers headed - Scott Dixon and Scott McLauglin are competing in the US version of Formula 1 - Indycar.

Patel should be in ahead of Van Gisbergen.

Now a tricky one.

Trampolining - should it be regarded as a sport? Some may argue no - but I am not going down that path.

It became an Olympic sport in 2000, so it's in.

The world champs were the pinnacle event for the sport in 2022 and Schmidt could do no better than win.

Fair call he is a finalist, even though for him Olympic gold is the ultimate.

Test cricket is the pinnacle in the sport.

The only way Patel could have improved on his effort was to have taken ten wickets in an innings in the final of the Test Championship itself.

He was performing at the highest level, against a team that's currently ranked number two in the world and in their backyard.

Underscoring that is the fact that New Zealand has only won two tests in India in almost 70 years.

The Halberg Voting Academy comprises 25 to 30 members, of which the majority are former elite athletes, coaches, and/or sports administrators, with the remainder being members of the sport media.

Awards are often subjective and comparing the achievements of athletes in one sporting code against another is difficult (but always good for debate).

You can often disagree with a decision but see how it was arrived at even with subjectivty is involved.

But I'm afraid Patel's snub defies that.

The Halbergs are Aotearoa's national sports awards - they should have mana. They should be relevant.

It's great they provide a talking point around sport - unfortunately this decision only further erodes their credibility and in cricketing parlance 'they've played on'.

Or maybe I'm simply out of touch and after 30 years of sports journalism don't know what constitutes an historic sporting milestone.

-RNZ