ICC Test Team Of The Year 2011 Announced

London, Aug 28: The ICC today announced its Test Team of the Year, as chosen by a specially appointed selection panel chaired by West Indian batting legend Clive Lloyd.
The announcement was made at the media conference to announce the short-lists for the LG ICC Awards 2011 which are due to be held in London on 12 September 2011. Presented in association with FICA, the LG ICC Awards recognise the best international players of the past 12 months.
The ICC Test Team of the Year is (in batting order): Alastair Cook (Eng), Hashim Amla (SA), Jonathan Trott (Eng), Sachin Tendulkar (Ind), Kumar Sangakkara (SL - wicketkeeper/captain), AB de Villiers (SA), Jacques Kallis (SA), Stuart Broad (Eng), Graeme Swann (Eng), Dale Steyn (SA), James Anderson (Eng), Zaheer Khan (Ind) (12th man)
Four countries are represented in the 12-man line-up and South Africa's Dale Steyn has earned a place in the ICC World Test Team of the Year for the fourth successive year. He was also a member of the ICC World Test Team of the Year 2008, 2009 and 2010.
India's Sachin Tendulkar makes the line-up for the third year in a row - having appeared in the ICC World Test Team of the Year 2009 and 2010 while South Africans Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis, along with Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, and England duo of Graeme Swann and James Anderson all appearing for the second year in a row.
Former Sri Lanka skipper Sangakkara is named as captain of the team.
The Chairman of the LG ICC Awards selection panel, Clive Lloyd, said: "The selection of this year's Test team was a difficult one with so many worthy candidates available to fill just 12 places. The team has a formidable line-up that bats well down the order and has bowlers with the ability and form to dismiss any opposition twice on any surface."
"The selection was a difficult process with so many outstanding performances available to look back on. All the top performers during the voting period were discussed at length and various combinations were considered."
"While selecting the squad, the selectors didn't rely only on statistics only but took into account all other factors like the opposition, pitch conditions, match situation etc. But when you have only 12 places to fill from a big group of world-class players, there will always be a few who will miss out.
"In the panel's expert opinion, it has selected the best team based on performances over the past 12 months."
Lloyd was joined on the panel by former South Africa spin bowler Paul Adams, former Pakistan batsman Zaheer Abbas, former New Zealand bowler-turned-commentator Danny Morrison and former England batsman Mike Gatting. Statistics were available as a guide but were not necessarily the overwhelming factor in the choices made.
The ICC Test Team of the Year is one of two teams selected by the ICC selection panel along with the ODI line-up which will be announced at a special function the morning of the LG ICC Awards.

Manchester, Aug 29: Wayne Rooney scored a hat trick as champion Manchester United humiliated Arsenal with an 8-2 win in the Premier League on Sunday,

Manchester, Aug 29: Wayne Rooney scored a hat trick as champion Manchester United humiliated Arsenal with an 8-2 win in the Premier League on Sunday, the London side's heaviest loss under Arsene Wenger. Having seen cross-city rival Manchester City thrash Tottenham 5-1 earlier in the day, United responded in style with Ashley Young, Danny Welbeck, Nani and Park Ji-sung joining Rooney on the scoresheet. Rooney converted two free-kicks and a penalty, while Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie replied for a makeshift Arsenal side. Van Persie had a penalty saved in the first half when Arsenal was trailing 1-0. United sits top of the Premier League with a 100 percent record, ahead of City on goal difference, while Arsenal has only one point and has had a player sent off in each of its three games after Carl Jenkinson was dismissed for two yellow cards against United. The pressure on Arsenal and manager Wenger had eased slightly after the midweek win over Udinese ensured the London club would be playing in the Champions League group stage this season, but the gulf in class against United served to illustrate that Arsenal's problems persist. Injuries and suspension meant the inexperienced Jenkinson and Francis Coquelin made the starting lineup at Old Trafford, the latter for his Premier League debut. A rampant United became the first team to score eight goals against Arsenal in a topflight game. Arsenal had not conceded eight goals in any league game since 1896. Welbeck, who later limped off injured, opened the scoring in the 22nd minute after shrugging off the attentions Johan Djourou and looping a header home. Arsenal should have drawn level five minutes later when Jonny Evans pulled down Walcott for a penalty, but Van Persie's low spot-kick was turned aside by goalkeeper David De Gea. To add insult to injury, Young extended the home side's lead within 60 seconds. The 18 million pound ($29.4 million) summer signing from Aston Villa curled in from 25 yards (meters) out. Rooney made it 3-0 with a curling free kick from the left in the 41st, but Arsenal was at least given a glimmer of hope on the stroke of halftime when Walcott's strike -- which went through De Gea's legs -- rounded off an incident-packed half. But the visitors conceded three goals in a seven-minute burst in the second half. Rooney converted another free kick, this time from the right, in the 64th, Nani chipped home three minutes later and Park fired in the sixth in the 70th. Van Persie managed a consolation strike for the visitors in the 74th before Arsenal was reduced to 10 men when Jenkinson collided with substitute Javier Hernandez just outside the area to pick up his second booking. Rooney missed with that free kick, but completed his hat trick from the penalty spot in the 82nd after Walcott tripped Evra. Young completed the scoring in injury time to make it only the fourth Premier League match to have featured 10 goals or more. AP