Angelo named Captain of ICC Test Team of 2014

Thursday, 6 November 2014 00:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sangakkara and Herath included too; Ajantha Mendis makes it to the ODI team
Steyn and Dhoni named in Test and ODI sides for 7th year in a row, respectively

Angelo Mathews was chosen as the Captain of ICC Test Team for 2014 Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews was named as the Captain of the ICC’s Test Team for 2014, which also included Kumar Sangakkara and Rangana Herath. The team was chosen by a specially-appointed selection panel chaired by the ICC’s Cricket Committee Chairman and former India Captain Anil Kumble. This is the seventh time since 2006 that Sangakkara has been selected in the ICC Test Team of the Year. He missed out on selection in 2009 and 2013. The announcement was made by Kumble at a media conference at the ICC Headquarters in Dubai, where ICC Chief Executive David Richardson also announced the short-lists for the LG ICC Awards 2014. This year’s winners will be announced via a media release on 14 November, while a special TV show, which will recap the last year in world cricket and also include interviews with many nominees and winners, will be broadcast on 15 November. ICC Test Team of the Year 2014 (in batting order): David Warner (Aus), Kane Williamson (NZ), Kumar Sangakkara (SL), AB de Villiers (SA), Joe Root (Eng), Angelo Mathews (SL) (captain), Mitchell Johnson (Aus), Stuart Broad (Eng), Dale Steyn (SA), Rangana Herath (SL), Tim Southee (NZ) and Ross Taylor (NZ) (12th man). Dale Steyn has also been selected for a record seventh successive year in the ICC Test Team of the Year, while his team-mate AB de Villiers has been selected for the fifth time (2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014). Stuart Broad (2009, 2011 and 2012) and Mitchell Johnson (2009) are the other players who have previously been selected in the ICC Test Team of the Year. The ICC ODI Team of the Year 2014 (in batting order) was Mohammad Hafeez (Pak), Quinton de Kock (SA), Virat Kohli (Ind), George Bailey (Aus), AB de Villiers (SA), MS Dhoni (wicketkeeper) (captain), Dwayne Bravo (WI), James Faulkner (Aus), Dale Steyn (SA), Mohammad Shami (Ind), Ajantha Mendis (SL) and Rohit Sharma (Ind) (12th man). India Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been selected in the ICC ODI Team of the Year for the eight time (seventh year in a row), while it is the fifth year that he has been appointed captain. Players to be previously selected in the ICC ODI Team of the Year are de Villiers (2010, 2011 and 2013), Virat Kohli (2012) and Ajantha Mendis (2009). The Chairman of the LG ICC Awards Selection Panel, Anil Kumble, added: “I would like to congratulate all the players for their selection in the teams of the year. It is an achievement to be proud of and a recognition for their good performances in the qualifying period. “Team selection is one of the toughest jobs and when you have a large pool of outstanding players to select from in a 12-month period between 26 August 2013 and 17 September 2014, then it becomes even more difficult. “However, we think we have selected the best possible sides, which are well balanced and capable of beating any side on any given day in any given conditions. While selecting these squads, the selectors discussed various combinations and took into account several scenarios like opposition, pitch conditions and match situations.” Kumble was joined on the panel by Jonathan Agnew, a former England international and now a respected broadcaster/journalist, ex-Sri Lanka opener Russel Arnold, former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming, and Betty Timmer, former Chair of the ICC Women’s Committee. Statistics were available as a guide but were not necessarily the overwhelming factor in the choices made.