DRAVID
LONDON (AP):
INDIA'S RAHUL Dravid has won the International Cricket Council's player of the year award.
The right-handed batsman and wicketkeeper was selected by a panel of 50 current and former international cricketers and umpires. He received the inaugural Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy at a ceremony in London, England yesterday.
"It is quite unbelievable, I am really proud," said the 31-year-old Dravid. "I am so happy to be recognised by some really great people."
Dravid scored 1,241 runs at an average of 95.46 in nine Tests during the 12 months to July and also captured the Test player of the year prize.
His last innings in the voting period was a 270 in India's 131-run win over Pakistan in the third Test at Rawalpindi in April.
Australian opener Matthew Hayden, who held the world record of 375 for a Test innings until it was surpassed by Brian Lara's 400 against England in April, scored 1,523 at 80.16 in 11 Tests during the voting period, including six centuries.
Dravid, Hayden and Lara were all included in the 2004 ICC Test team of the year.
Australian captain Ricky Ponting was selected as skipper of both the ICC Test and limited-overs line-ups.
He was one of six players named in both World XI teams, along with Australian teammates Adam Gilchrist and Jason Gillespie, South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis, West Indies captain Lara and Sri Lankan fast bowler Chaminda Vaas.
England allrounder Andrew Flintoff was selected as the limited-overs international cricketer of the year, while India's leftarm seamer Irfan Pathan won the best emerging player award.
ICC Test XI: Matthew Hayden (Australia), Herschelle Gibbs (South Africa), Ricky Ponting (Australia, captain), Rahul Dravid (India), Brian Lara (West Indies), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), Adam Gilchrist (Australia, wicketkeeper), Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka), Shane Warne (Australia), Jason Gillespie (Aus-tralia), Stephen Harmison (England).
ICC ODI XI: Adam Gilchrist (Australia, wicketkeeper), Sachin Tendulkar (India), Chris Gayle (West Indies), Ricky Ponting (Australia, captain), Brian Lara (West Indies), Virender Sehwag (India), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), Andrew Flintoff (England), Shaun Pollock (South Africa) Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka), Jason Gillespie (Australia).