The cream rises to the top

The best performers and performances in world cricket over the past year will be recognised in the Electrolux Wisden International Awards, which will be held at Mumbai's National Centre for Performing Arts on Friday, October 30. Last year's awards - which were held at Wembley in London - were restricted to Indian cricketers, but this year all international performances during the one-year period from September 2002 to August 2003 will be take into account.

The distinguishing feature of these awards is the absence of a points system which simply rewards runs scored or wickets taken, without taking into account the strength of the opposition or the match situation. Here, a ten-man international jury - consisting of eminent names like Richie Benaud, Michael Holding, Barry Richards and Ravi Shastri - will rate performances on a subjective basis, ensuring that all the intangibles are considered as well.

The major awards include the Electrolux International Cricketer of the Year, Batting and Bowling Performances of the Year, ODI Performance of the Year and Young Player of the Year. There is also a People's Choice Award for the Indian Cricketer of the Year, a special achievement award and the ESPN-Star Sports Leadership Award.

The event will be attended by a host of current and former international cricketers, including Imran Khan, Aravinda de Silva, Muttiah Muralitharan and Darren Gough. The entire current Indian team will be there too. For those not fortunate enough to be present at the venue, ESPN-Star Sports will telecast the event the same night from 9pm.