Dubai: England's prolific batsman Jonathan Trott bagged the most prestigious ICC Cricketer of the Year award at the LG ICC Awards. He emerged as the winner after an extraordinary 12 months of spectacular batting display.
The independent voting academy of 25 highly credentialed cricket experts put Trott first, ahead of a formidable group of players that had been short-listed, including England team-mate Alastair Cook, last year's winner Sachin Tendulkar and South Africa opening batsman Hashim Amla.
In 12 Tests, Trott compiled 1,042 runs at an average of 65.12, including four centuries and three half-centuries. In addition, he played 24 ODIs, hitting 1,064 runs at an average of 48.36 with two centuries and nine 50s. He helped his team retain the Ashes in Australia, reach the quarter-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and also register other Test series victories against Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan.
After receiving the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy from ICC President Sharad Pawar at a glittering award ceremony in London he said: “It’s fantastic to be part of a successful team and I never envisaged winning this award and it’s a brilliant feeling to be recognised.”
Cook Test Cricketer of the Year
England’s Alastair Cook's spectacular form has won him the Test Cricketer of the Year award at the LG ICC Awards in London.
He played 12 Tests and in 18 innings during the period of evaluation and compiled 1,302 runs at an average of 51.74, including six centuries and four half-centuries. His highest score of 235 not out against Australia at Brisbane helped his team towards series victory as it won the Ashes away from home for the first time since the 1986-87 season.
The independent voting academy of 25 highly credentialed cricket experts put Cook first, ahead of an impressive group of players that had been short-listed, including England team-mates Jonathan Trott and James Anderson, as well as Jacques Kallis of South Africa, who previously won this award in 2005.
Cook received his trophy from West Indies ICC Cricket Hall of Famer Curtly Ambrose and dedicated the award to his teammates. “I think the highlight of year was when we won in Sydney, to beat Australia and Chris Tremlett to take that final wicket it was truly a great year. This award is about the rest of the team not just me.”
Sangakkara One-day Player of the Year
Minutes after bagging the LG People's Choice Award, Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara also bagged the ODI Player of the Year 2011 at the LG ICC Awards in London.
During the performance period, he put on a prolific performance playing 25 ODIs and compiling 1,049 runs at an average of 55.21. It included one century and seven half-centuries. As wicketkeeper, he also took 36 victims comprising 26 catches and 10 stumpings. Despite the pressure of having to perfom on the field, he still managed to lead his country to the ICC Cricket World Cup final in Mumbai where they lost narrowly to home team India.
The independent voting academy of 25 highly credentialed cricket experts put Sangakkara first, ahead of such talented and in-form players as Australia’s Shane Watson, Gautam Gambhir of India and South Africa’s Hashim Amla.
Sangakkara who was delighted at winning the award, like a true sportsman gave credit to his team. “I would like to thank the rest of my teammates, they have done a great job over the years in one-day cricket and I am privileged to be part of this and led these guys for just over two years. I thank you again, I feel very very proud.”
Sangakkara is People's Choice
Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara who captained the team in the recent World Cup has emerged as the winner of LG People’s Choice Award at the LG ICC Awards in London.
Sangakkara was voted to the award by the general public and beat off strong competition for the award from South Africa’s Hashim Amla, England’s Jonathan Trott, West Indies’ Chris Gayle and India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
The award, which was introduced last year at the LG ICC Awards in Bengaluru, was chosen by cricket fans around the world who, over the course of four weeks had the opportunity to vote for their favourite player. Sangakkara was unable to collect the award in person due to current playing commitments in the Sri Lanka Test series against Australia in Colombo.
Commenting from Colombo, Sangakkara said: “It’s a great privilege having won this award especially since it was voted for by the fans. I would like to thank all of you, not just those who voted for me but everyone who come, day in and day out, to watch us play.
Sangakkara went on to say: “We will continue doing our best to entertain you and keep attracting more and more fans to see this wonderful sport.
The player was judged based on his innovation, dynamism, strength in decision-making, performing well under pressure and executing a plan to distinction. The winner of this award should demonstrate an ability to engage spectators and should also embody the game’s unique spirit, both on and off the field.
Dhoni bags spirit of cricket award
The sporting gesture of Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni of withdrawing an appeal against Ian Bell during the just concluded Test series against England has won him the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award 2011 at the LG ICC Awards in London.
The panel that selected Dhoni as the candidate for the award felt that the India captain showed the right spirit in agreeing to allow England batsman Ian Bell to continue batting when he was run out in controversial circumstances during the second Test at Trent Bridge in July 2011.
The incident happend during the last ball before tea on the third day of the Test when Bell hit the ball towards the boundary. He mistakenly thought it had gone for four, left his crease and headed towards the pavilion assuming the session was over and the ball dead. Meanwhile the ball, which had not reached the rope and therefore was still in play, was returned to the middle, the bails removed and Bell was correctly given run out.
Upon reflection during the tea interval and following a request from the England team, Dhoni withdrew the appeal and recalled Bell thus turning boos into cheers from the appreciative Nottingham crowd.
Commenting on the selection of Dhoni for the award, ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said: “While the initial appeal and umpire decision were correct to the letter of the law, the decision by Mahendra and his team to withdraw the appeal shows great maturity. To see players and officials uphold the Great Spirit of cricket, which has underpinned the game for more than a century, is very special.”
Dhoni’s gesture was voted as the winner ahead of that of South Africa’s Jacques Kallis, who twice demonstrated such spirit during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 by walking once he had clarified with opposition fielders directly that they had caught the ball cleanly rather than waiting for the umpires to decide. This award is voted by the members of the Emirates Elite Panels of ICC Match Referees and Umpires.
Bishoo Emerging Player of the Year
West Indies rising star Devendra Bishoo has won the International Cricket Council (ICC) Emerging Player of the year award.
Bishoo is a fine leg spinner and has been excellent since his debut in May 2011. He beat strong contenders like Pakistan’s Wahab Riaz, Azhar Ali and teammate Darren Bravo for the award.
This 25-year-old player has played in only five Test matches during the voting period and took 21 wickets with an average of 35.42, has made an impact within the West Indies side with his attacking approach that yields considerable turn and bounce. He also played in 11 ODIs, bagging 19 wickets at an average of 21.57.
Though Bishoo could not attend the award function in London, his comments were made available by the ICC from the West Indies. He said: “I’d like to thank the ICC for giving me this award and I’m delighted to receive it. I’d like to thank my mother, my manager and all the players who have supported me throughout my career. I’m happy where I am and I am going to keep on working hard for the West Indies and continue to improve and keep playing good cricket.”
For all the individual awards (with the exceptions of the Women’s Cricketer of the Year and the Umpire of the Year), a long-list compiled by the selection panel was forwarded to a 25-person Voting Academy made up of former players, members of the media, an elite umpire and an elite match referee.
They voted on a three, two, one basis (with three being the highest value) and the winners emerged.
The period was a hectic one with high-profile events as the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, the ICC Intercontinental Cup final, several ICC World Cricket Leagues as well as several bilateral Test and ODI series.
Southee wins Twenty20 best preformance award
New Zealand fast bowler Tim Southee has pocketed the ICC Twenty20 International Performance of the Year through his brilliant five wicket spell for 18 runs against Pakistan in New Zealand.
On 26 December 2010, during New Zealand's Twenty20 International match against Pakistan in Auckland, Southee ripped through the Pakistani top order in a performance that saw him take 5-18 in his four overs including one maiden. He also claimed a catch to dismiss the then Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi and the side went on to win the game by five wickets.
According the LG ICC Awards’ 25-person voting academy which also included Gulf News, Southee’s effort was the most impressive of the voting period from 11 August 2010 to 3 August 2011.
It beat competition from England’s Tim Bresnan for his four wickets for three runs against Pakistan in Cardiff in September 2010; South Africa’s JP Duminy for his 96 not out in 54 balls against Zimbabwe in Kimberley on 10 October 2010 and Australia’s Shane Watson for his 59 runs in 31 balls against England in Adelaide 12 January 2011.
Twenty-two-year-old Southee said: “Looking back at the game which has won me the award, it was Boxing Day in a full house at Eden Park and it was a big game for us as we’d been going through a rough patch of losing, something like 12 or 13 games lost on the trot and it was our first win in a long time. It was great to be able to contribute to that win and also put in a great performance.”
Ryan ten Doeschate ICC Associate and Affiliate player of the year
Netherlands all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate has bagged the ICC Associate and Affiliate Player of the Year for the second successive year at the LG ICC Awards in London.
The voting academy chose ten Doeschate over other top Associate and Affiliate players including Afghanistan’s Hamid Hassan and the Ireland duo of Paul Stirling and Kevin O’Brien. It is the third time ten Doeschate has claimed the award, the first time he picked up the title was in 2008 while he also won the award last year.
During the 12-month voting period, all-rounder ten Doeschate played for the Netherlands in six ODIs making two centuries and one half-century. His batting average was 61.40 for the period with a strike rate of 89.24.
The 31-year-old Essex player scored both his ODI centuries during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, the first against England in Nagpur and the second against fellow Associate side Ireland in Kolkata.
Ten Doeschate, who was unable to attend the function due to his playing commitments, said: “I’m really sorry I couldn't be there tonight. It's obviously a great privilege to win this award and I'd like to thank all the coaches and my team mates who have helped me during what has been a very good year for the Netherlands cricket team. I hope everyone has a good night and again sorry I can’t be there.”
The Associate and Affiliate Player of the Year award serves to recognise and reward the efforts in all international matches of the outstanding cricketers from the teams outside the ICC Full Members.
Taylor is women's cricketer of the year
West Indies star all-rounder Stafanie Taylor bagged the prestigious ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year at the LG ICC Awards in London.
During the voting period Taylor played 10 ODIs for the West Indies scoring 610 runs at the top of the order at an average of 76.25, while the off-spinner also claimed 15 wickets. She also scored 49 runs and took five wickets in Twenty20 Internationals in the period.
The 20-year-old took the accolade ahead of England duo Charlotte Edwards and Lydia Greenway and last year’s winner of the title, Australia’s Shelley Nitschke.
It was a successful year for Taylor who was part of the West Indies side that was victorious as the ICC Women’s Twenty20 Cricket Challenge in South Africa.
Taylor was unable to attend the ceremony due to a series against Pakistan Monday in Guyana said: “It is a fantastic honour to be named the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year. I said before the awards that my goal was to be the number one women’s cricketer in the world and I’m on my way there with the rankings and to be named the winner of this award makes me extremely happy.
"I would like to thank my team-mates and coaches from the West Indies team and also my domestic side Jamaica and also my family for all the support they continue to give me and I hope I can continue to represent the West Indies with pride.”
Dar bags best umpire award again
Umpire Aleem Dar has won the David Shepherd Trophy for third time after being named ICC Umpire of the Year at the LG ICC Awards in London Monday night.
Forty-three-year-old Dar, who hails from Pakistan, was voted to this award by the 10 Full Member captains as well as the eight-man Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees, based on his decision statistics and officiating skills over the past 12 months.
It is the third year in a row that he has received the ICC award which was renamed last year after the late England umpire David Shepherd.
Dar receiving his award from ICC Hall of Fame 2011 inductee Alan Davidson said: “It’s a great honour and I’m thankful to everyone at the ICC and also my colleagues on the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires along with the Pakistan Cricket Board. I’d like to also thank all my family for all their support since I’m away nearly eight months of the year umpiring.”
Dar beat off strong competition from his colleagues on the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires Steve Davis, Ian Gould and five-time ICC Umpire of the Year Simon Taufel.
