Tendulkar claims top ICC award

Sachin Tendulkar became the first man to reach 200 in an ODI in February and has been crowned ICC Cricketer of the Year

India star Sachin Tendulkar has been rewarded for his scintillating form by being crowned Cricketer of the Year at the International Cricket Council awards in Bangalore.

The 37-year-old, who has broken almost every batting record in the game, overcame England off-spinner Graeme Swann, India team-mate Virender Sehwag and South Africa batsman Hashim Amla to claim the crown for the first time since its introduction in 2004.

Despite his advancing years, Tendulkar has enjoyed arguably the most fruitful period of his illustrious career recently.

Since the turn of the year, he reached 1,000 runs in a calendar year for the sixth time - becoming the first player to achieve this feat - and averaged 83.58 in the game’s longest form.

He is currently just two tons shy of becoming the first batsman to register 50 Test hundreds, while his efforts in one-day internationals have been equally impressive.

In February, he became the first man to register a double hundred in ODIs, making a breathtaking 200 not out against South Africa.

‘The Little Master’, who is the most prolific run-scorer in both forms of the game with a combined total of 31,571, also scooped the inaugural LG People’s Choice Award.

Tendulkar said: "To win both of these awards is special and it’s the game’s way of appreciating someone’s performance.

"It feels great to have two trophies in front of me and I am feeling very proud and happy."

Elsewhere, Sehwag was voted Test Player of the Year after scoring six centuries in the 12-month voting period.

AB de Villiers earned the ODI award, while Pakistan's Aleem Dar scooped the Umpire of the Year prize for the second time running.

New Zealand retained the Spirit of Cricket gong, while wicketkeeper-batsman Brendon McCullum’s 56-ball 116 against Australia at Christchurch in February was chosen as the Twenty20 Performance of the Year.

Essex and Netherlands all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate was voted Associate and Affiliate Player of the Year for the second time in three years.

England's Katherine Brunt was beaten to the Women’s Cricketer of the Year gong by Shelley Nitschke.

The awards were decided by a voting panel including Clive Lloyd (chairman), Matthew Hayden, Duncan Fletcher, Angus Fraser and Ravi Shastri.

ICC Awards

Individual winners

Cricketer of the Year: Sachin Tendulkar
Test Player of the Year: Virender Sehwag
ODI Player of the Year: AB de Villiers
Emerging Player of the Year: Steven Finn
Associate and Affiliate Player of the Year: Ryan ten Doeschate
Umpire of the Year: Aleem Dar
Twenty20 Performance of the Year: Brendon McCullum (NZ) – 116 not out (56b, 12x4, 8x6) v Australia, Christchurch, Feb 28 2010
Women’s Cricketer of the Year: Shelley Nitschke

Test Team of the Year

Virender Sehwag (India)
Simon Katich (Australia)
Sachin Tendulkar (India)
Hashim Amla (South Africa)
Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)
Jacques Kallis (South Africa)
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (India, captain and wicketkeeper)
Graeme Swann (England)
James Anderson (England)
Dale Steyn (South Africa)
Doug Bollinger (Australia)

ODI Team of the Year

Sachin Tendulkar (India)
Shane Watson (Australia)
Michael Hussey (Australia)
AB de Villiers (South Africa)
Paul Collingwood (England)
Ricky Ponting (Australia, captain)
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (India, wicketkeeper)
Daniel Vettori (New Zealand)
Stuart Broad (England)
Doug Bollinger (Australia)
Ryan Harris (Australia)