Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson was today announced as the winner of the Sir Garfield Sobers trophy for ICC Cricketer of the Year. The 33-year-old was also named as the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year.
 
During the voting period between 26 August 2013 and 17 September 2014, Johnson claimed 59 Test wickets at an average of 15.23, with best bowling figures of seven for 40 runs against England in Adelaide last December. In ODIs, Johnson claimed 21 wickets in 16 games.

Since the inception of the awards in 2004, Johnson is only the second player after compatriot Ricky Ponting to win the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy twice. While Johnson previously won this award in 2009, Ponting won back-to-back awards in 2006 and 2007. Other winners include Rahul David (2004), Jacques Kallis and Andrew Flintoff (2005), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (2008), Sachin Tendulkar (2010), Jonathan Trott (2011), Kumar Sangakkara (2012) and Michael Clarke (2013).
 
Johnson is also the third Australian after Ponting (2006) and Michael Clarke (2013) to win the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year award.
 
Commenting on receiving the awards, a delighted Johnson said: “Some of the greats of the game have been nominated and won this award and it’s a very special honour.
 
“Aggressive fast bowlers are something you’d have seen back in the day with the likes of (Dennis) Lillee and (Jeff) Thomson. For me, it’s nice to be able to contribute to the team and do the job that I’ve always thought I’ve been able to do. I suppose it comes down to the attitude I’ve got, the belief and the confidence. I’m very happy with where I am at the moment and I want to keep getting better as a cricketer.
 
“This is something that I’ll be able to look back on in time when my career is over and be exceptionally proud of. I want to thank everyone for their support, especially my team-mates, support staff and my family for everything they’ve done for me. I wouldn’t be sitting here today without them.”
 
Johnson was earlier named in the ICC Test Team of the Year in Dubai on 5 November. In the same event, India fast bowlerBhuvneshwar Kumar was revealed as the LG People’s Choice award winner.
 
The announcement was made ahead of the broadcast of the LG ICC Awards 2014 TV show which has been hosted by former South Africa captain Graeme Smith. The show premieres on Saturday (15 November) via 17 of ICC’s Broadcast Partners, including STAR Sports, ESPN, SuperSport, Fox Sports and others.
 
Johnson has been joined on the winners’ list by South Africa’s AB de Villiers, who was named ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year, and England’s Gary Ballance, who claimed his first-ever ICC award after being named the ICC Emerging Cricketer of the Year.
 
Other winners include England’s wicketkeeper-batter Sarah Taylor, who has won the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year award, Australia opener Aaron Finch, whose 156 runs off 63 balls against England, has won him the ICC T20I Performance of the Year award, Scotland’s Preston Mommsen, who won the ICC Associate and Affiliate Cricketer of the Year award.
 
Richard Kettleborough of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires won the David Shepherd Trophy for ICC Umpire of the Year for the second consecutive year.
 
Australia captain Meg Lanning has clinched the ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year award, while England’s Katherine Brunt has won the ICC Spirit of Cricket award, for sportingly asking for a referral when a South Africa batter was adjudged to have been given out run-out and the decision was subsequently reversed.
 
In total there are 11 individual awards, as well as the two ICC Teams of the Year – for Tests and ODIs. (ICC)