Trott, Cook express happiness on winning ICC awards

Dubai: England batsmen Jonathan Trott and Alastair Cook expressed happiness on winning the Cricketer of the Year and Test Cricketer of the Year awards respectively, at the annual ICC awards ceremony held in London earlier this week.

Trott, who beat competition from his national teammate Cook, South Africa`s Hashim Amla and India`s iconic batsman Sachin Tendulkar to walk away with top honour, said it was a "great feeling". "I am pretty young in international cricket. So to have won this award is a real honour and privilege. It is a great feeling because it comes as the end of a very fruitful year," Trott told ICC Awards 2011 special ICC Cricket World Radio Show. Trott had an extraordinary 12 months as a batsman. In 12 Tests, he compiled 1,042 runs at an average of 65.12, including four hundreds and three half-centuries. In addition, he played 24 ODIs, hitting 1,064 runs at an average of 48.36 with two centuries and nine fifties. During this period, he helped his team retain the Ashes in Australia, reach the quarter-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and also register other Test series victories against Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan. The captain of England`s One-day side, Cook, who has also been in superb form in the longest format of the game in the past 12 months, said it was "great to a part of a successful team". "It is amazing that I won this award despite there being so many great names in the nomination. It is not as much about me, as much about the team. It is great to be part of the success as it has helped me reach here," Cook said in the Radio show. In the past one year, Cook has played 12 Tests and in 18 innings, he compiled 1,302 runs at an average of 51.74, including six centuries and four half-centuries. His highest score of 235 not out against Australia at Brisbane helped his team towards series victory as it won the Ashes away from home for the first time since the 1986-87 season. The independent voting academy of 25 highly credentialed cricket experts put Cook first, ahead of an impressive group of players that had been short-listed, including team-mates Trott and James Anderson, as well as Jacques Kallis of South Africa, who previously won this award in 2005. Meanwhile, Elite Panel Umpire -- Aleem Dar -- also spoke about winning the David Shepherd Trophy for Umpire Of The Year for the third successive year. "It is a great honour because this is not about competition between us umpires but a reward for our consistency. I will try my level best to keep up my performance," said Dar. This week also saw the induction of three cricketing greats -- former West Indies` fast bowler Curtly Ambrose, former Australia bowler Alan Davidson and former Australia women`s captain Belinda Clark -- into the ICC Cricket Hall. "I really feel great. When I first got the call I was surprised. I thought there were so many great cricketers ahead of me that one day I will get a call. But I never expected it to be this soon. I am humbled and honoured," said Ambrose. PTI