ICC reveals remaining members of Awards voting Academy

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today revealed the remaining members of its 50-strong voting Academy for the ICC Awards, presented by Hyundai in association with FICA.

The 13 remaining players and media representatives who have accepted the invitation to join the voting Academy for the inaugural ICC Awards are:

Legends

Athar Ali Khan - Bangladesh
Richie Benaud - Australia
Ian Botham - England
Jeremy Coney - New Zealand
Aravinda de Silva - Sri Lanka
Allan Donald - South Africa
Javed Miandad - Pakistan
Arjuna Ranatunga - Sri Lanka
Sir Viv Richards - West Indies
Steve Waugh - Australia
Waqar Younis - Pakistan

Media

Omar Kureshi - Sports writer and columnist, Pakistan
Christopher Martin-Jenkins - Cricket writer, England

These members join the 12 individuals that were announced last month, bringing the `legends and media' group total to 25 people, and completing the 50-member voting Academy.

The 50-member Academy, which includes a minimum of two representatives from each of the ICC's Full Member countries, comprises four groups:

ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed said the Academy was now trusted with the challenging task of voting for the best players of the past 12 months.

"With the full 50-member voting Academy now in place, the challenge to select the world's best players of the past 12 months has well and truly begun," said Mr Speed.

"The players nominated for the four individual awards have been announced, and it is now the task of this illustrious group to cast their votes and select the Emerging, One-Day International, Test, and Player of the Year for 2003-04.

"The strength and prestige of the ICC Awards rests squarely on this selection process.

"This group of 50 suitably qualified individuals has the experience, intimate knowledge and strong connection with today's game to cast an informed and balanced vote.

"Establishing the voting Academy ensures that the adjudication process will be a fair measured and carefully considered approach resulting in worthy winners."

A total of eight awards will be presented on the night in two award categories (individual and team) at the gala ceremony to take place on 7 September at London's Alexandra Palace.

The voting Academy will cast votes for the four individual player awards:

Each Academy member will cast a 3-2-1 vote (three votes being the greater value) which will be collected and tallied by external audit group PriceWaterhouseCoopers, with the results safeguarded and kept secure until announced on the night.

The award winner will be the player with the most number of votes. In the event of a tie, a count-back system will apply.

Players from all Full Member countries, as well as Kenya and the United States of America, who will be in London preparing for the ICC Champions Trophy, are expected to attend the Awards ceremony on 7 September.

A five-person selection panel comprising Richie Benaud (chairman), Ian Botham, Sunil Gavaskar, Michael Holding and Barry Richards, will select the World XI One-Day International and World XI Test teams.

These World XI teams will be made up of the best individual players from around the world, and will be the first official ICC World XI sides.

In addition, an Umpire of the Year and Spirit of Cricket Award will also be presented at the ceremony.

The eight awards to be presented are:

The full 50-member voting academy is: