ST. JOHN’S, Antigua - West Indies captain Chris Gayle is in line for another major award. The talismanic opener is one of five batsmen in line for the ESPN-Cricinfo’s award for the Best Test Batting performance of last year. The winners are due to be announced on Frday.
Gayle’s epic 165 not out against Australia at the Adelaide Oval in December is one of the five performances that the website has nominated for the top prize. That brilliant second innings performance helped the visitors to dominate the match which ended in a draw, and proved the Windies were was no pushovers. It was the match after the West Indies suffered a heavy defeat by an innings at the Gabba. Gayle went on to make a smashing ton in the third Test at the WACA Ground in Perth to record back-to-back centuries. Overall in 2009 he had four Test centuries –following his two against England in the Digicel Series in the Caribbean.
The other innings in contention are Strauss’s 161 on the first day of the Ashes Test at Lord’s last year, Jonathan Trott’s debut century in the Ashes decider at The Oval, Virender Sehwag’s 293 against Sri Lanka in Mumbai, and Umar Akmal’s 129 in Dunedin in his first Test innings.
The top five performances were drawn on the basis of votes from a 14-member jury that includes some of the leading cricket experts in the World and Cricinfo’s senior editors.
Gayle is also up for the T20 Innings of the Year. Fans will recall his amazing 88 off 50 balls, to make short work of the target of 170. Cricinfo noted: “He picked out Brett Lee for special treatment, and the two sixes – onto Harleyford Road and the top of the Bedser Stand – in the space of three deliveries were among the most monstrous hits you’re likely to see”. During that tournament Gayle stood out and the West Indies went against the form book to reach the semi-finals.
The other players in contention are: Tillakaratne Dilshan of Sri Lanka (96 not out vs West Indies), Aussie David Warner (89 vs South Africa at the MCG), Dutchman Tom deGrooth for his 49 vs England at Lord’s, and Pakistani Shahid Afridi with 51 against South Africa at Trent Bridge.
Also on the list of nominees is West Indies fast bowler Jerome Taylor. He is up for the Best Test Bowling performance of the Year. The right-armer took 5-11 against England at Sabina Park in the first Digicel Test match last year which saw the visitors shot out for 51. The Windies won the match by an innings and went on to win the series 1-0 and regain the Wisden Trophy.
The other bowlers in contention are: Mitchell Johnson (Australia) – 4-25 vs South Africa at Johannesburg; Zaheer Khan (India) 5-65 vs New Zealand at Wellington; Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka) – 4-15 vs Pakistan at Galle; Andrew Flintoff (England) 5-92 vs Australia at Lord’s; James Anderson (England) – 4-55 vs Australia at Lord’s; Stuart Broad (England) – 5-37 vs Australia at The Oval; Sreesanth (India) – 5-75 and 1-47 at Kanpur; Shane Bond (New Zealand) 5-107 and 3-46 vs Pakistan at Dunedin; and Graeme Swann (England) – 5-54 vs South Africa at Durban.
Rookie fast bowler Gavin Tonge is also in line for an award. The imposing six-footer is nominated for One-Day Bowling Performance of the Year. Playing just his second ODI, he bowled with great control to take his 4-25 off 10 overs at the Wanderers in Johannesburg to leave Pakistan in trouble. He made the batsmen play and the strategy and it paid off: Imran Nazir was bowled off a full delivery, Kamran Akmal undone for by seam and carry, and Shoaib Malik drawn into a fatal drive.
Tonge showed some aggression too, hitting Mohammad Yousuf in the ribs before having him caught behind. Thanks to that venomous spell, Pakistan were at one point reeling at 76-5, before an unbeaten sixth-wicket stand helped them overcome the target of 133.
