Happy couple - swann and Jimmy anderson LG ICC Award 2011 show

Alastair Cook wins the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year award LG ICC Award...

Jonathan Trott wins the ICC Cricketer of the Year award LG ICC Award 201...

Aleem Dar wins the ICC Umpire of the Year award 13..9..2011.

Cricket's biggest award for top performers to be presented

The LG International Cricket Council (ICC) awards for the outstanding performers in world cricket during last year (between 11 August 2010 and 3 August 2011) will be given away at a colourful function to be held today (September 12) at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane in London.

The Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Cricketer of the Year is being closely contested this year with England's Alastair Cook, and Jonathan Trott along with India's Sachin Tendulkar and Hashim Amla emerging as the four strong contenders.

Reacting to intense contest for all the awards which includes the best Test player of the year, One-day cricketer of the year, emerging player of the year, associate and affiliate player of the year, former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, who chaired the panel of experts and independent voting academy, said: "It was an extremely close run contest this year in all the categories as everyone performed well over the period."

Trott, who has been short-listed in three categories such as Cricketer of the Year, ODI Cricketer of the Year and even the People's Choice Award said: "It is not something you think about when you are playing. But what nomination brings with it some good and fond memories. I think the nominations show plenty of England players in all categories. It shows how we have been successful as a side over the past year and how everyone has contributed to it."

The other three short listed for the Test player of the year are his teammates Cook and James Anderson along with South Africa's Jacques Kallis. Before the start of the awards, ICC will announce the One-day team of the year.

The ODI player of the year will be decided from among Amla, Gautam Gambhir, Kumar Sangakkara and Shane Watson. Commenting on his chances, Watson said: I'm very excited. It's always a great honour to be nominated in a couple of categories, let alone being short-listed. I'm not sure how bright my chances are but I'm thrilled to be in the category with three extremely talented players in Hashim Amla, Kumar Sangakkara and Gautam Gambhir, all of whom have had fantastic years."

Another prestigious category is the emerging player of the year award. The four players short listed are Pakistan's Azhar Ali and Wahab Riaz, West Indies Davendra Bishoo and Darren Bravo. Bishoo expressing his surprise at being nominated said: "It was a huge surprise to be announced as one of the players. I'm really quite nervous about being on the short-list."

The trophy for the best umpire has been named after the late umpire David Shephered. Umpires Aleem Dar, Steve Davis, Ian Gould and Simon Taufel are the contenders.

PCB agrees to tour Bangladesh

The Pakistan Cricket Board seems to be working hard to improve the strained relationship with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) as it agreed to tour Bangladesh for a full series in December this year.

A source in the Board said that the PCB had recently approved a tentative itinerary sent by the Bangladesh board for the series that will include two Tests, three one-day internationals and a T20 match in December.

The itinerary for the series has been tentatively agreed upon by both the boards.

"Pakistan has not played Bangladesh in a bilateral series since early 2008 as it believed that the Bangladesh board had let it down on many occasions, especially by not supporting Pakistan when the World Cup matches were moved out of the country. But now things seem to have settled down," the source said.

Stating that the tension between Pakistan and Bangladesh first surfaced in 2009, the source explained, "Pakistan board has not been very happy with BCB since 2009 when it cancelled a bilateral one-day series between the two nations to be held in Bangladesh, immediately after the militants attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore.

"Pakistan team was to tour Bangladesh for the ODI series but after the attack took place, the BCB cancelled the series on security grounds, saying its government had not given clearance for the Pakistan team to play in Bangladesh."

The source said that the relations further soured between the two boards when against all expectations the Bangladesh board supported a resolution in the International cricket Council (ICC) to move the 2011 World Cup matches out of Pakistan on security grounds.

"The PCB chief Ijaz Butt was really upset and angry with his Bangladesh counterpart and even had a heated exchange with him after the ICC meeting in 2009 in which the World Cup matches were moved from Pakistan," the source revealed.

He said since then the relations had remained tense and even recently when the Bangladesh board didn't fulfill its commitment of sending its under-19 team to Pakistan two months back, the PCB got very upset.

"The PCB officials were not satisfied with the reasons given by the Bangladesh board for not sending its team to Pakistan and asking for the series to be postponed to next year," the source said.

He also informed that since 2010, even Bangladesh has been requesting the PCB to send its team to Bangladesh to play an ODI series, which was cancelled in 2009 but the PCB kept on refusing.

"But now both boards appear to have taken steps to improve their relations and the PCB recently approved the itinerary sent for the Test series by Bangladesh," the source said.

WAHAB CONFIDENT OF WINNING ICC EMERGING PLAYER AWARD

Pakistan's promising Test pacer Wahab Riaz feels that he is a frontrunner for the International Cricket Council Emerging Player Award to be presented on September 12 on London.

Wahab, who left for London today to attend the ICC awards ceremony, told reporters that he felt honoured to be shortlisted for the award.

"I think I stand a good chance of getting the nod. It feels good to be nominated after my first full year of international cricket. I made my debut in 2008 but since last year I played regularly for the team and it allowed me to improve, learn and deliver good performances," Wahab said.

The left-armer, who hails from Lahore, had a satisfactory season with English county side Kent recently despite being rested by the national selectors for the tour of Zimbabwe.

"I think my five wickets on my Test debut at the Oval last year and then the fiver against India in the 2011 World Cup semi final at Mohali has got me shortlisted for the award and that really feels good," he said.

26-year-old Wahab, who has played seven Tests and 22 ODIs, made his ODI and T20 debuts in 2008 against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh but only became a regular member of Pakistan last year in England.

Wahab, however, admitted that the three other contenders for the emerging player award, including Pakistan teammate Azhar Ali and West Indians Darren Bravo and Devendra Bishoo also had good chances of winning.

"If I look at Azhar he has been very consistent in Tests at the one-down position which is not an easy task so I see him as a front runner but hopefully my five wicket hauls at the Oval and Mohali can tilt votes my way," he said.

Wahab said while he was disappointed at not being picked for Zimbabwe tour, he was working hard to get back into the national side for the forthcoming series against Sri Lanka.

AZHARUDDIN'S SON CRITICAL, NEPHEW DEAD IN BIKE CRASH

Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin's son is in a serious condition after crashing his motorcycle. Ayazuddin was riding with his cousin Ajmal who died after being admitted to a city hospital.

Ayazuddin (19) has been taken to the Apollo Hospital here and reports suggest that he has received head injuries and is in a critical state . The accident took place on the city's Outer Ring Road. Ayazuddin is believed to have been going at a high speed and while the police hint that he may have been racing, it is confirmed that the bike skidded and crashed into several pieces.

Ayazuddin is the second son of Azharuddin, after Ashaduddin.

PAKISTANI BOWLERS WHO HAS TAKEN 100 WICKETS IN TEST CRICKET ..

From the time Pakistan became the cricketing nation .. from that day uptill now there are almost 15 bowlers who has taken over 100 wickets in test cricket for Pakistan..

Wasim akram is the highest wicket taker for Pakistan he has taken 414 wkts in 104 test matches..his best bowling in match...was 11 wkts for 110 runs ..he took 502 in odi's as well but murali is now holding  the record
for highest taker in odi's in test cricket as well...wasim akram took 5 wkts in the match for almost 25 times where as he took 10 wkt haul in match for 5 times...

Pakistan current team coach waqar younis is on second he has taken 373 wkts his best bowling in match...13 wkts for 135 runs..he took over 400 in odi's as well .. he took 5 wkt haul for 22 times whereas he took 10 wkt haul for 5 time..

Pakistan 1992 wc winning team captain Imran khan is on third on this record ........ he has 362 test wkts in his bucket ... in his prime days he faced so many fitness issues that's why he did not perform that well in his last days in cricket his best bowling in test match was 14 wkts for 116 runs..23 times he had taken 5 wkts haul 6 times 10 wkts haul...

dinesh parbhashankar kaneria who has taken most number of wickets as spinner for pakistan in test matches ...took 258 wkts in 57 matches ..12 for 94 his best in match .. 12 times he took 5 wkts haul where as 2 time 10 wkts haul..

googly bowler Abdul Qadir  legendary viv richards  declared him as dangerous & unplayable bowler . in 67 matshes he was able to get 236 wkts  15 times 5 wkts haul 5 times 10 wkts haul..

the inventor of doosra Saqlain mushtaq who was also my favourite player .. took 208 wkts in 49 test matches  in 169 odi's he took 288 wkts unfortunately because of his knee problems he took retirement Current age 34 years 255 days his best bowling in match was 10 wkts for 156 runs ..


5 wkts haul for 13 time whereas 3 times 10 wkts haul..


mushtaq ahmed another leg spinner took 185 wkts in 52 matches he is currently bowling coach for england he took 3 times 10 wkt haulin his career ..


speed star shoaib akhtar....because of his fitness issues & his controversies issues he was not able to play much for pakistan but when ever he played he performed with whole heart for his side .. 46 matches 178 wkts 11 wkts for 78 runs his best in match..12 times 5 wkts haul..2 times 10 wkts haul..
he is the first bowler to bowl over 100 mph in history of cricket..


sarfaraz nawaz 55 matches 177 wkts he got 9 wkts in an innings by giving 81 runs in melbourne ... 5 wkt haul 5 time 10 wkt haul 1 time..


former cheif selector iqbal qasim 50 matches 171 wkts 8 times 5 wkts haul whereas 2 times 10 wkts haul..


100 WiCKETS fazal mahmood was the first from pakistan to do that he also known as hero of oval..he took 139 wkts in his carrer ..


former coach intikhab alam , M.asif . abdur Razzaq & umar gul also in this list...many will be coem..

MIANDAD GIVEN SEVEN DAYS TO RESPOND TO NOTICE

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has given Javed Miandad, its Director Cricket Affairs, seven days to respond to a show cause notice for violating the terms of his employment contract.

Javed Miandad claimed that 90 percent of the decisions taken by the PCB were erroneous.

Miandad slammed the PCB working on Thursday and claimed that 90 percent of the decisions taken by the authorities were erroneous and damaging the sport in the country.

He also claimed that he was not being consulted in important issues nor being given any authority by the Chairman Ijaz Butt and would again bring this to the notice of the Board's chief patron, President Asif Zardari.

The Board on Thursday promptly sent a show cause notice to Miandad at his residential address in Karachi .

Well informed sources said there were several reasons for Miandad lashing out at the board policies.

"He had gone and met with the Chairman recently when the central contracts were announced and complained that the board should give a contract to his nephew, discarded Test batsman Faisal Iqbal," one source told PTI.

"Miandad had met with Butt and complained that he was not consulted when the list of players for the central contracts were being finalised and then he complained that Faisal should have got a contract as well," the source said.

"Another reason for the fresh fallout is that Miandad has been writing supposedly confidential letters to the President's secretariat complaining about the working of the Board and Butt. Interestingly, although Miandad marked the letters as confidential they have all been sent to the PCB Chairman for his observations," the source said.