Jonathan Trott was titled with the Cricketer of the Year 2011

Jonathan Trott, the England batsman, has been named the Cricketer of the Year for 2011, the ICC's top accolade. He received the Sir Garfield Sobers trophy at the annual ceremony in London, after his team-mate Alastair Cook had won the Test Cricketer of the Year award.

"It's fantastic to be part of a successful team and I never envisaged winning this award. It's a brilliant feeling to be recognized," Trott said.

In 12 Tests during the period under consideration, Trott scored 1042 runs at an average of 65.12, including four centuries and three half-centuries. He also played 24 ODIs, scoring 1064 runs at an average of 48.36 with two centuries and nine 50s. Trott was chosen for the award ahead of Cook, last-year's winner Sachin Tendulkar and South Africa batsman Hashim Amla.

England opener Alastair Cook has been named the Test Cricketer of the Year at the ICC Awards ceremony in London. Cook beat off competition from his team-mates James Anderson and Jonathan Trott, and South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis.

"I think the highlight of year was when we won in Sydney to beat Australia, and Chris Tremlett to take that final wicket, it was truly a great year," Cook said after receiving the award from ICC Hall of Fame inductee Curtly Ambrose. "This award is about the rest of the team not just me."

Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara has been named the ODI Cricketer of the Year for 2011 during the ICC Awards ceremony in London. Sangakkara also won the ICC People's Choice Award, capping a memorable evening for him.

"It's a great honor first of all to have been nominated for this award [ODI Cricketer] and a great honor to have actually won it," said Sangakkara, who was not in London because of the ongoing home series against Australia.

"I would like to thank the rest of my team-mates, they have done a great job over the years in one-day cricket and I am privileged to be part of this and [to have] led these guys for just over two years. I thank you again, I feel very proud."

MS Dhoni, the India captain, has won the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award for his decision to recall Ian Bell after his controversial run-out during the Trent Bridge Test. Dhoni was unavailable to collect his award, though the Indian team was present in England.

"While the initial appeal and umpire decision were correct to the letter of the law, the decision by Mahendra and his team to withdraw the appeal shows great maturity," ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said. "To see players and officials uphold the great spirit of cricket, which has underpinned the game for more than a century, is very special."

West Indies leg spinner Devendra Bishoo has been named the Emerging Player of the Year for 2011 at the ICC Awards ceremony in London. He had competition from his team-mate Darren Bravo and the Pakistan pair of Wahab Riaz and Azhar Ali.

Bishoo, 25, played five Tests in the voting period - August 11, 2010 to August 3, 2011 - and took 21 wickets at an average of 35.42. He also picked up 19 wickets at 21.57 each in 11 ODIs.

"I could not believe it when I was nominated for the ICC Emerging Player of the Year but to win it feels great," Bishoo said. "I would like to dedicate the award to my father. He played a great role in my life and encouraged me to play cricket. After he died I made a promise to always give my best and reach for the top.

Ryan ten Doeschate, the Netherlands all-rounder, has been named the ICC Associate and Affiliate Player of the Year for the third time in four years, and for the second year running. Ten Doeschate was chosen ahead of Afghanistan all-rounder Hamid Hassan, and the Irish duo of Paul Stirling and Kevin O'Brien, both centurions in the 2011 World Cup, during the awards ceremony in London.

Ten Doeschate, 31, played six ODIs in the voting period - August 11, 2010 to August 3, 2011 - all of them in the World Cup. He scored two centuries and a half-century, and averaged 61.40 for the period with a strike rate of 89.24.

New Zealand seamer Tim Southee has won the award for ICC Twenty20 International Performance of the Year, for his spell of 5 for 18 against Pakistan in Auckland.

"Looking at the nominees, it's a great achievement to have even been nominated and to win it is something I will never forget," Southee, who could not make it to the awards function, said. "Looking back at the game which has won me the award, it was Boxing Day in a full house at Eden Park and it was a big game for us as we'd been going through a rough patch of losing, something like 12 or 13 games on the trot and it was our first win in a long time. It was great to be able to contribute to that win and also put in a great performance."

Pakistan umpire Aleem Dar has won the David Shepherd trophy for the Umpire of the Year for the third consecutive year at the ICC Awards ceremony in London. He beat competition from Steve Davis, Ian Gould and five-time winner Simon Taufel.

Dar, 43, officiated in five Tests and 13 ODIs during the voting period - August 11, 2010 to August 3, 2011 - including the World Cup final between India and Sri Lanka.

Widely regarded for his umpiring standards, Dar was voted to the award by the 10 Full Member captains as well as the eight-man elite panel of match referees.

"It's a great honor and I'm thankful to everyone at the ICC and also my colleagues on the Elite Panel of ICC umpires along with the Pakistan Cricket Board," Dar said. "I'd like to also thank all my family for all their support since I'm away nearly eight months of the year umpiring."

Captaincy would be a daunting task for new Dilshan

Tillakaratne Dilshan was announced new captain of Sri Lanka for all three formats of cricket for the upcoming tour of England by the former Sri Lankan Cricketers and management as Kumar Sangakkara resigned from his captaincy job. Dilshan was the top run-scorer in the World Cup. After the resignation of Kumar Sangakkara, All-rounder Angelo Mathews and Dilshan were the successors of the skipper but the announcement of Dilshan's captaincy in all formats eradicated the speculation over Mathews. Sangakkara told in his recent interview that Dilshan, if selected, was good choice as he was likely to do a good job in such conditions.
Sidath Wettimuny, former Sri Lanka cricketer and former chairman of selectors said, "He is an emerging player no doubt but the time would decide whether he can transform his form into his captaincy. He will surely be tested. Captaincy will be a daunting task for him".
Kushil Gunasekera, former Sri Lanka Cricket administrator, was more optimistic, suggesting that the captaincy would act as a catalyst to stimulate Dilshan. He said, "When skillful and talented players are given errands they have potential to rise to the occasion. Hopefully Dilshan will fit into that category and showcase to the others as a role model".
Since discussing about the opener's slot in 2009, Dilshan has been among Sri Lanka's best players across all three formats. Ranjit Fernando, former Sri Lanka cricketer and former national selector, said, "Dilshan's form, predominantly over the last six months portended well for his new character. He may not be the conformist skipper that everyone anticipates him to be. But there is also a positive side to it."

Sangakkara renounces captaincy in ODI and T20

Kumar Sangakkara has relinquished the captaincy of Sri Lanka's ODI and T20 teams but has proposed to continue as the Test Captain on an interim tenure for the forthcoming series versus England and Australia if this would be useful for the new skipper. He will continue his character in all formats of the game as a player. His decision exposed after he led his side to the World Cup Final. Tillakaratne Dilshan and Angelo Mathews are strong contenders to take charge of 50-over format games and T20 while Thilan Samaraweera is another choice for leading the Test side.

Sangakkara was one of the highest runs-score player in the World Cup 2011 and played a 48-run innings in their defeat to India in the World Cup final. He was dejected after the defeat in the final, he said, "I would like to proclaim that I have concluded that it is in the best long-term interests of the team that I renounce as a skipper so that a new skipper can be accurately trained for the next World Cup in Australia-New Zealand. I have no plans of retirement from International Cricket so far and it would be considered by the selection team who would decide my availability in all three formats of the games for upcoming times subject to my fitness and form".

He said, "It has been a true esteem and a great privilege to serve my homeland as skipper during the past two years and it is bitterly disappointed that we could not make triumph in the final, but I am proud of the performances of my team. I took this decision prior to the World Cup 2011 as I will be 37 years at the next World Cup and I cannot be definite of my place in the team. It is better that a young and promising player would lead the Sri Lanka's team so that his career would be at peak during that tournament".