OK now that the year's finished, I'll add mine too...
Players
Best Batsman- Ian Bell. His ODI record was average, but who cares?? The Sherminator was awesome in 2011 in Tests. 11 innnings, 5 100s, averaging 118 and doing it in great style too, as compared to grinders like Cook and Dravid.
Best Bowler- hard choice...The best bowlers have been new ones who may or may not be flashes in the pan. I still like Dale Steyn as cricket's best bowler and nothing he's done this year changes that.
Best Wicketkeeper- dunno, haven't really studied the keepers this year. Probably Matt Prior, his batting was excellent, and he was pretty smooth behind the stumps in the limited time I saw him.
Best Allrounder- Shane Watson. Not sure he's really excelled in both things in the same game, but he's played some brutal ODI innings and bowled a number of handy spells in both Tests and ODIs.
Best Innings- For Tests, I really liked Michael Clarke's 151 vs SA a couple of months ago when Shaun Marsh's 44 was the only other score over 20. For ODIs I liked Shane Watson's ridiculously brutal 185* vs Bangladesh off only 96 balls, with 15 6s and scoring 79% of Australia's runs!! Shame Bangladesh only made 229, he could have made a gigantic score.
Most Improved Player-Alastair Cook I think. I guess he did most of his improving in the Ashes last summer, but compare what he is this year to what he was in the middle of last year and there is a massive difference. Showed he could play ODIs too this year, onya Cookie! Honourable mentions for Stuart Broad and Peter Siddle.
Most Declined Player-I guess maybe not declined, but just haven't stepped up at all like I thought they might: Tamim Iqbal and Suresh Raina.
Best Emerging Player- Darren Bravo, it would be great for WI to get another great batsman to build around. And of course a bevy of fast bowlers: Yadav, Cummins, Pattinson, Philander etc.
Teams/Matches
Best ODI Team-India won the WC, but I think Australia has generally been the best this year. In fact they've extended their lead over India in the ICC rankings despite India winning the WC.
Best Test Team- Hard to go past England....yawn.
Most Uprising Team- Pakistan have done some good things and seem to be going in the right direction.
Most Declined Team- Sri Lanka will be disappointed with their year. Had a great win last night, but have generally been pretty underwhelming.
Best Associate Team- does Zimbabwe count? Otherwise, Afghanistan - I dunno, I'm just sick of Ireland...
Best Match- There's been some great close Test matches: India vs WI that finished as a draw on the last ball, Aus v NZ in Hobart, Aus vs SA in J'burg - I'll pick that one cause Australia won and it will fit in nicely with the biased choices in the thread
Best Series/Tournament- I didn't really like the World Cup as much as some: I'll go for the Aus vs SA Test series.
Misc-
Best Moment- I think India winning the WC. Even as an Aussie it was great to see the unbridled joy and relief on the face of Indians. I got over that after a few minutes, but it was great at the time
Also, I can't get enough of watching this guy:
WORLDS Creepiest Cricket Fan 2011 - HILARIOUS! - YouTube
Most Disgracing Moment-9/21...enough said...
Best ICC rule- the one where lunch can't be taken if there are 9 wickets down - that used to be annoying. I think I like the lack of runners too, they confuse crowds, viewers and fielders and without them it might make batsmen go off and get treatment rather than getting treated by the physio after every over.
Worst off-field Cricket Incident- oh gosh, don't get me started on the Simon Katich vs Michael Clarke media beat up, showed the shameful standards of journalism these days. And probably the ICC backtracking on their original decision to make DRS compulsory. Not because I'm a massive DRS fanboy, but the fact that they have no backbone when the BCCI disagrees...
Rate your team's 2011 performance ( /10) with description (optional)-
Hmm, 7 out of 10. Coming off an Ashes hammering is always humbling, but Australia's done some good things this year: changing captains, winning in SL, winning in SA (Tests were drawn but that's still a good achievement). We've found some bowlers with skill and potential, now we just need to stop collapsing...Was disappointing not to win a 4th World Cup in a row - I blame Cameron White
. They deserve a WAVE! Things in the camp changed after that South African match. Yeah, failure is stepping stone of success! It has been proved!
