Speed hails India as 'perfect venue for this year's ICC Awards'

Malcolm Speed and Arvind Saxena hold ICC awards trophy © Getty Images

ICC Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Speed today hailed India as "the perfect venue for this year's ICC Awards."

Speaking in New Delhi where he announced the long list of nominations for the seven individual awards at October's ceremony, Mr Speed said: "India has a passion for and interest in cricket that is unmatched anywhere in the world.

"That passion and interest will only be heightened by the ICC Champions Trophy taking place in the country during October and November.

"And with the ICC Awards happening during the tournament, that should ensure the players and officials recognized gain maximum and appropriate exposure for their excellence during the voting period."

The ceremony will take place this year at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai on 23 October.

The ICC Awards ceremony is now in its third year and this will be the first time it has been staged in India. Previous ceremonies were held in London (2004) and Sydney (2005).

This year's ICC Awards will feature the selection of the Test and ODI Teams of the Year and an award to the side that has adhered most to the Spirit of Cricket.

There will also be seven individual awards, including two new ones this year for Captain of the Year and Women's Cricketer of the Year.

The Captain's award is designed not merely to recognize the most successful leader but is also intended to reward the player who has displayed excellent tactical awareness, has best fulfilled obligations to the game as set out by the ICC and the Laws of Cricket and has best demonstrated the Spirit of Cricket during the voting period.

The Women's award is designed to recognize the outstanding female player for the voting period and is included for the first time since the integration of the ICC and the International Women's Cricket Council (IWCC) in 2005

Commenting on the new awards, Mr Speed said: "Cricket is not just about runs, wickets and catches.

"It is also about tactics and the way a side conducts itself and the captain plays a pivotal role in those aspects of the game.

"The Captain of the Year Award is designed to recognize the leader's contribution to the game and to the Spirit of Cricket we all value so highly.

"The Award for Women's Cricketer of the Year is a welcome and very appropriate addition to this year's ceremony.

"It will serve to showcase the very best women's cricketers, something that is vital as the ICC seeks to ensure the continued growth of the game at all levels."

Looking forward to this year's ICC Awards, Mr Speed said: "The ICC Awards highlights all the positives about our great game at the elite level.

"It focuses on the outstanding performances of our players and officials at the top end of the sport and is a means to recognize and reward excellence.

"And the fact the winners are voted for by their peers, current officials and a specially selected group of experts and legends of the game confirms the credibility and primacy of the ICC Awards beyond question," he added.

The long lists of nominations for the men's awards have been compiled by a group of five selectors, led by former India captain and Chairman of the ICC's Cricket Committee, Sunil Gavaskar.

The other selectors are Allan Donald, the former South Africa fast bowler, ex-Australia wicketkeeper - and ODI captain - Ian Healy, Arjuna Ranatunga, the former Sri Lanka captain, and Waqar Younis, the former Pakistan captain and fast bowler and currently the side's bowling coach.

Between them, this quintet can boast a total of 496 Test and 971 ODI caps, with more than 34,000 runs and over 1400 wickets at international level.

And, seven years after retiring, Ian Healy still holds the Test record for most career dismissals - 395, made up of 366 catches and 29 stumpings.

In first-class cricket the selectors' combined figures are even more striking, with a total of 51,573 runs and 2288 wickets as well as 767 dismissals (698 catches and 69 stumpings) for Healy.

The selectors used their knowledge, skill and judgment to assess players' performances during the voting period of 1 August 2005 - 8 August 2006.

The long lists they have come up with will be voted upon by the ICC voting academy, a group of 56 that is made up of current ICC Full Member captains (10), the Emirates Elite Panels of match referees and umpires (18) and legends of the game and members of the media (28).

The long lists will be reduced to final shortlists on 14 October.

The five ICC selectors will also choose the Test and ODI Teams of the Year.

For the Women's Cricketer of the Year, each ICC Member that played international cricket during the voting period is eligible to nominate two players.

The resultant list is then voted upon by an academy of 12 leading former players and influential figures in the women's game including members of the media.

Commenting on this year's ICC Awards, Mr. Arvind Saxena, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Hyundai Motor India, said: "Hyundai Motor India has been associated with the ICC Awards for the third year in succession. Cricket is a team sport and each player has a role to play in the success of a team.

"The players listed have given sterling performances and helped their individual teams and we at Hyundai appreciate and celebrate that because, today, Hyundai stands for excellence in automotive design and technology, just as these nominated players who simply represent the very best in world cricket."

The ICC Awards is presented by Hyundai in association with LG and FICA (the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations).

Further details and announcements will be made as the date for this year's ICC Awards draws nearer.

Long List of Nominees - Individual Awards (each category to be reduced to a shortlist on 14 October)

Test Player
Michael Hussey (Aus), Ricky Ponting (Aus), Mohammed Yousuf (Pak), Andrew Flintoff (Eng) Shane Warne (Aus), Muttiah Muralidaran (SL), Kumar Sangakkara (SL), Rahul Dravid (Ind), Mahela Jayawardene (SL), Kevin Pietersen (Eng), Younis Khan (Pak), Matthew Hayden (Aus), Makhaya Ntini (SA).

ODI Player
Yuvraj Singh (Ind), Michael Hussey (Aus), Ricky Ponting (Aus), Shane Bond (NZ), Irfan Pathan (Ind), Andrew Flintoff (Eng), Mahela Jayawardene (SL), Muttiah Muralidaran (SL), Rahul Dravid (Ind), Kevin Pietersen (Eng), Mohammed Yousuf (Pak), Herschelle Gibbs (SA), Brett Lee (Aus), Shahid Afridi (Pak), Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pak), Adam Gilchrist (Aus), Kumar Sangakkara (SL).

Emerging Player
Monty Panesar (Eng), Alastair Cook (Eng), Denesh Ramdin (WI), Malinga Bandara (SL), Mohammed Asif (Pak), Upul Tharanga (SL), Ian Bell (Eng), Shahriar Nafees (BD).

Cricketer of the Year
Ricky Ponting (Aus), Shane Warne (Aus), Muttiah Muralidaran (SL), Michael Hussey (Aus) Andrew Flintoff (Eng), Mohammed Yousuf (Pak), Rahul Dravid (Ind), Mahela Jayawardene (SL) Younis Khan (Pak), Monty Panesar (Eng), Brett Lee (Aus), Makhaya Ntini (SA), Adam Gilchrist (Aus).

Captain of the Year
Michael Vaughan (Eng), Rahul Dravid (Ind), Ricky Ponting (Aus), Mahela Jayawardene (SL).

Umpire of the Year
Simon Taufel, Aleem Dar, Rudi Koertzen.

Women's Cricketer of the Year
Karen Rolton (Aus), Cathryn Fitzpatrick (Aus), Anjum Chopra (Ind), Neetu David (Ind), Claire Taylor (Eng), Katherine Brunt (Eng), Emily Drumm (NZ).