Australia sweep ceat awards by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:

RT Ponting, SK Warne, IK Pathan, MS Dhoni

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DateLine: 29th June 2006

 

World champions Australia made a clean sweep in the International Cricket Rating Awards for 2005-06 as they won the Ceat Team of the year award, the Ceat International Cricketer of the year award (Ricky Ponting) and the Debutante of the year award (Mike Hussey).

 

The awards were announced by former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai on Wednesday. Australia who had 161 points, faced little competition as India, who finished second ended with 93 points.

 

Ponting (131 points) emerged supreme ahead of team-mate Shane Warne (111) and left-arm medium-pacer Irfan Pathan (105). Southpaw Hussey, who had an excellent last season, was adjudged the winner in the debutante category with attacking wicket-keeper batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni claiming the second spot.

 

For the first time, the Ceat Ratings have also included Indian domestic cricket where the performances of players from the Ranji Trophy Elite Group were graded.

 

Mumbai all-rounder Ramesh Powar (53 points) won the inaugural Ceat Domestic Cricketer of the Year award while Tamil Nadu’s S. Badrinath (33 points) bagged the best batsman award. Uttar Pradesh’s Praveen Kumar (overall 50 points) was awarded as the Best Bowler and most promising youngster.