New Delhi, Aug 27 (IBNS): Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka, who has also been nominated for the LG People’s Choice Award this year, said he has grown as an individual and learnt a lot in the past one year.
He had won the LG People’s Choice Award in 2011.
Looking back on the past year nominee Sangakkara: “It’s been an eventful year for me personally. It was great to score hundred in England in the third Test at Rose Bowl, then our first Test win against South Africa in Durban.
"I then scored a 1000 ODI runs in 2012 and missed out on two double centuries, when I got out on 192 and then was not out at 199 against Pakistan earlier this year."
“I am happy that I have contributed to the side and we have grown as a side. I have grown quite a bit as an individual and learnt a lot in the past year," he said.
The third LG People’s Choice Award this year sees two former winners nominated alongside three other international cricketing stars in a bid to win the only award voted for by the public at the annual LG ICC Awards.
Those nominated include Sri Lanka’s Sangakkara, India’s Sachin Tendulkar, South Africa’s duo Vernon Philander and Jacques Kallis, while England’s James Anderson made the quintet of nominees.
Both Sangakkara (2011) and Tendulkar (2010) have won the LG People’s Choice Award in the past.
Speaking on his side’s achievements over the last year and also about his own nomination, Anderson said : “I think of the last year, in the Test form of the game I would say reaching the number 1 was a huge achievement for us as a team."
“We achieved that last summer by beating India 4-0 in England. It was a great series for us and just a great achievement. In the one-day form of the game as well we had some success in the last 12 months, especially in England we have performed really well. We really feel like we are going somewhere in the one-day game," he said.
“It has been a goal for the ECB and the England team for a number of years to reach the number one in Tests. We have put in a lot of hard work over the last couple of years.
"And we have probably reached the goal before we actually thought we would. We have played some great cricket both home and away. That is obviously what you need to do to become number one," Anderson said.
“It is great to be nominated. Obviously it is a team sport and we are all striving for one thing that is to win games of cricket. To be singled out for my own performances and the way I go about my business is a huge accolade for me.
"I do work hard at my game and it is nice that you get rewarded for that," he said.
The short list was nominated by an elite panel of cricket experts headed by former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, along with Sri Lanka’s Marvan Atapattu, England’s Clare Connor, West Indies Carl Hooper and Australia’s Tom Moody.
It was selected using criteria set out by LG and the International Cricket Council (ICC), said an official statement.
"This dictated that the nominees should have displayed some of the attributes regarded by LG as in line with their corporate qualities such as innovation, dynamism, strength in decision-making, performing well under pressure and executing a plan to distinction," it said.
The ICC on Monday urged people to cast their votes for choosing the winners of LG People’s Choice Award.
"The public are once again reminded to go to the ICC’s official Facebook page to cast their vote for who they think should win this year’s LG People’s Choice Award. Voting for the award closes at midnight UAE time on 31 August 2012," the ICC said in its statement.
"Voting will be open until midnight UAE time on 31 August with the winner to be announced on 15 September at the LG ICC Awards in Colombo," it said.