ICC Test Team of the Year 2012 announced

Colombo, 30 August 2012: ICC Test Team, The ICC today announced its Test Team of the Year, as chosen by a specially appointed selection panel chaired by West Indian batting legend Clive Lloyd.

The announcement was made by the ICC Chief Executive, David Richardson, at the media conference to announce the short-lists for the LG ICC Awards 2012 which are due to be held in Colombo on 15 September 2012. The LG ICC Awards recognise the best international players of the past 12 months.

The ICC Test Team of the Year is (in batting order):

Alastair Cook (Eng)

Hashim Amla (SA)

Kumar Sangakkara (SL)

Jacques Kallis (SA)

Michael Clarke (Aus, captain)

Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI)

Matt Prior (Eng – wicketkeeper)

Stuart Broad (Eng)

Saeed Ajmal (Pak)

Vernon Philander (SA)

Dale Steyn (SA)

12th Man – AB de Villiers (SA)

Six countries are represented in the 12-man line-up and South Africa’s Dale Steyn has earned a place in the ICC Test Team of the Year for the fifth successive year.

It is the third year in a row that South Africa’s Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis and Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara feature in the side, while England’s Alastair Cook and Stuart Broad appear for the second year in a row.

Australia’s current captain, Michael Clarke, is named as captain of the team.

ICC Chief Executive, David Richardson commented: “Those selected can be justifiably proud of their achievements and well deserving of the recognition they receive as great cricketers of their era.

“The quality of the Test cricket played over the course of the year has been exceptional and I did not envy the selectors in their task of selecting the best. Congratulations to those who have made it. They make a formidable team.”

The Chairman of the LG ICC Awards selection panel, Clive Lloyd, added: “It is always tough to decide on the Test team with so many worthy candidates to consider based on performances between 4 August 2011 to 6 August 2012. The team once again has a strong batting line-up, while the bowlers are a tough combination of pace and spin who could dismiss any line-up on any surface.

“The process of selection was a difficult one, with a lengthy debate between the panel on all the top performances during the voting period and various combinations were considered.

“The selectors did utilise a vast amount of statistics from the period under observation, but we also took into account all other factors like the opposition, pitch conditions, match situation etc. But when you have only 12 places to fill from a big group of world-class players, there will always be a few who will miss out.

“In the panel’s expert opinion, it has selected the best team based on performances over the past 12 months.”

Lloyd was joined on the panel by former Sri Lanka batsman Marvan Attapatu, former England women’s captain Clare Connor, former West Indies all-rounder Carl Hooper and Australia’s World Cup winner Tom Moody. Statistics were available as a guide but were not necessarily the overwhelming factor in the choices made.

The ICC Test Team of the Year is one of two teams selected by the ICC selection panel along with the ODI line-up which will be announced a day before the LG ICC Awards.

The Selection Panel

The LG ICC Awards selection panel was charged with two main tasks: providing a long-list of nominations to the 32 members of the voting academy to cast their votes in the individual player award categories and, using their experience, knowledge and appreciation of the game, select the ICC Test and ODI teams.

Clive Lloyd (chairman)

One of the most recognisable and respected figures in world cricket, Lloyd led West Indies to victories in the first two ICC Cricket World Cups (in 1975 and 1979) and played a crucial role in the overall success of the team during the 1970s and early 1980s. As a big, hard-hitting, left-handed batsman, he scored 7,515 runs in 110 Tests, including 19 centuries. In 87 ODIs, he scored 1,977 runs at an average of just under 40. He was also named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1971. When he retired from playing, he remained involved as a coach, manager and ICC match referee and is currently the chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee.

Marvan Attapatu

A former Sri Lanka captain, he grew from a modest start to his Test career to logging six double hundreds in his career. In all, he played in 90 Tests scoring 5,502 runs with 16 hundreds at an average of 39.02 and also played 268 One-Day Internationals with 8,529 runs with 11 hundreds at an average of 37.57. He formed a successful opening pair with Sanath Jayasuriya in the 1990s, while later he captained Sri Lanka from 2003 to 2006 in both Tests and ODIs. Post retirement he has been involved with the game first as Singapore coach and then as Sri Lanka’s batting coach.

Clare Connor

A former England women’s captain, who led the side from 2000 to 2006 including the ICC Women’s World Cup in South Africa 2005. Connor batted right-handed and bowled left-arm spin and in 1999 she claimed a hat-trick against India. After her retirement from international cricket, the Sussex player became a successful TV commentator, while she was awarded an OBE in 2006 for her services to women’s cricket. She is currently the Head of Women’s Cricket at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and also chairs the ICC Women’s Committee.

Carl Hooper

Hooper held the key to West Indies fortunes in late 1980s and 1990s alongside Brian Lara. His 102 Tests fetched him 5,762 runs with 13 hundreds at an average of 36.46. He also played a key role with his off-spin in an era dominated by pace, highlighted with his career-haul of 114 wickets. His One-Day International career was also a successful one. He scored 5,761 runs and picked up 193 wickets in 227 games. Hooper captained the West Indies at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 and then retired from the game.

Tim Moody

ICC Cricket World Cup winner in 1987 and 1999, Moody was part of the revival of Australian cricket especially in the One-Day International format. His medium-pace and approach with the long handle made him a ready fit in the limited-overs format. After a back injury ended his playing career, he turned into a successful coach. His success with Worcesteshire as coach led him to the Head Coach role with the Sri Lanka side from 2005 to 2007, and he later when on to coach Western Australia and Kings XI Punjab. Currently, he is also pursuing a career as TV commentator and summariser.

Based on the period between 4 August 2011 and 6 August 2012, the LG ICC Awards 2012 take into account performances by players and officials in a remarkable period for the game.

The LG ICC Awards ceremony is now in its ninth year and this year is being held in Colombo on 15 September. Previous ceremonies were held in London (2004 and 2011), Sydney (2005), Mumbai (2006), Johannesburg (2007 and 2009), Dubai (2008) and Bengaluru (2010). —- ICC