Mohammad Yousuf named Test Player of the Year

Mohammad Yousuf was named international cricket's Test Player of the Year at the ICC Awards in Johannesburg.

Yousuf topped the poll ahead of England's Kevin Pietersen and last year's winner Ricky Ponting of Australia. "This is the first time for a Pakistan player to win this award so I am particularly delighted with that," he said.

During the ODI-dominated voting period of August 9, 2006 to August 8 2007 Yousuf played six Tests. In that time he scored 944 runs at an average of 94.40 including five centuries and two fifties in just ten innings.

He had a remarkable home series against West Indies last November and December, scoring four centuries in the three-Test series and finishing with 665 runs at an average of 133. Yousuf is the fourth recipient of the Test Player of the Year award following on from Ponting last year, Jacques Kallis of South Africa in 2005 and India's Rahul Dravid in 2004.

The Test Player of the Year was one of 11 individual and team honours handed out during the ICC Awards, presented in association with the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations. The event recognises cricket's star performers over a 12-month period.