Bell claims Emerging Player award

England batsman Ian Bell was named as Emerging Player of the Year at the ICC Awards in Mumbai. Bell, 24, claimed the prize after impressing the 56-strong ICC Voting Academy.

During the voting period of August 1, 2005 to August 8, 2006, Bell played 13 Tests, scoring 958 runs at an average of 41.65. He hit four centuries and five fifties in that time. In 10 ODIs he averaged 45.87, playing some important innings for England along the way.

"It's been a good year for me," Bell grinned. "It's a massive honour for me to win this award and I'd just really like to say thank you to everyone in England for helping me to get this far. My team-mates have been great over the past year - it's been really good fun to play with them. We've a tough task coming up (with the Ashes) but I couldn't think of a better bunch of guys to be going to Australia with."

Malcolm Speed, the ICC's chief executive, said: "For some players it can take a long time to get used to life at the top level but Ian has done very well in a short space of time and he clearly has a very exciting career ahead of him. On behalf of ICC I would like to offer Ian our congratulations. He is a fine player and seems to be growing in confidence every time he goes out into the middle," he said.

Bell is the third recipient of the Emerging Player of the Year award following on from team-mate Kevin Pietersen last year and India's Irfan Pathan in 2004.

He beat off challenges from fellow England batsman Alistair Cook, Pakistan fast-bowler Mohammed Asif and left-arm England spinner Monty Panesar to secure the award.