Short lists announced for Hyundai ICC Awards 2005

Jacques Kallis, Glenn McGrath, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Adam Gilchrist have all been short-listed for the ICC Player of the Year and Test Player of the Year awards.

The fifth ICC Player of the Year candidate is England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, who is also nominated for ICC ODI Player of the Year, an award he won in 2004. Gilchrist, who has also made the ODI shortlist, is the only player to be nominated in three categories.

Nine players in total have been short-listed for the three most prestigious individual awards. Shane Warne is the other candidate for the Test Player award while England's Kevin Pietersen and Australian duo Brett Lee and Andrew Symonds have all been short-listed for the ODI Player award.

Pietersen also makes the five-man short-list for the Emerging Player of the Year along with his England teammate Ian Bell, Aftab Ahmed (Bangladesh), Dinesh Karthik (India) and AB de Villiers (South Africa).

The short-lists were announced after the votes were submitted by members of the voting Academy. The 50 Academy members were asked to vote for players nominated by a Selection Panel chaired by Sunil Gavaskar.

ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed said that the voting process was building towards an exciting event in Sydney on 11 October.

"The players that have made it through to the short-lists are all exciting talents who performed exceptionally during the year under review," said Mr Speed.

"The second annual ICC Awards night promises to be a fantastic evening with some very interesting decisions to be announced."

Mr BVR Subbu, President, Hyundai Motor India, said: "The second year of the Hyundai-ICC Awards promises to be even more exciting than the previous year, when Hyundai Motor India began its enduring association with cricket. The shortlisted players have all given sterling performances in their respective fields and won laurels. Just as Hyundai stands for excellence in design, technology and safety the world over, the awards acknowledge and celebrate the very best in cricket."

Mr Gavaskar said that making the short-lists was an achievement in itself.

"No matter who wins these trophies on 11 October, all of those who have made the short-lists should be immensely proud that their achievements have been recognised by such an esteemed Academy that includes the current Test-playing captains, the members of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires and Referees and highly esteemed legends of the game," said Mr Gavaskar.

The five-man ICC Awards Selection Panel comprises Sunil Gavaskar (chairman), David Gower, Sir Richard Hadlee, Rod Marsh and Courtney Walsh.

Selection was based on the players' performances over the course of the 12-month judging period (1 August 2004 to 31 July 2005).

The four individual awards comprise half of the presentations on the night. There will also three team awards and an award for the Umpire of the Year.

Test Team of the Year;
One-Day International Team of the Year; and
Spirit of Cricket Award.

The Test Team of the Year and the One-Day International Team of the Year will both be sides made up of the best individual international players in the respective forms of the game.

Selection for the World XI teams will be made by the five-man ICC Awards selection panel lead by Sunil Gavaskar.

The Spirit of Cricket award will be presented to one international team determined by the captains and match referees.

Players eligible for the Emerging Player of the Year award must be under 26 years of age at the start of the voting period (1 August 2004) and have played no more than five Test matches and/or 10 One-Day Internationals before the start of the voting period.

In addition to the seven player-related awards, an award will be presented to the Umpire of the Year.

Aftab Ahmed (Bangladesh)
IR Bell (England)
KKD Karthik (India)
KP Pietersen (England)
AB De Villiers (South Africa)

A Flintoff (England)
AC Gilchrist (Australia)
B Lee (Australia)
KP Pietersen (England)
A Symonds (Australia)

AC Gilchrist (Australia)
Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pakistan)
JH Kallis (South Africa)
GD McGrath (Australia)
SK Warne (Australia)

A Flintoff (England)
AC Gilchrist (Australia)
Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pakistan)
JH Kallis (South Africa)
GD McGrath (Australia)

For more information, visit www.icc-awards.com.