SYDNEY (AP) – Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson has won the top individual honour in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) annual awards.
The 33-year-old paceman won the ICC cricketer of the year award, as well as the Test cricketer of the year award for 2014. He took 59 Test wickets at 15.23 in the voting period from August 26, 2013, until September 17 this year, with his performances instrumental in helping Australia regain the Ashes with a 5-0 sweep of England and then winning a series in South Africa.
Johnson, who also won the award in 2009, became only the second dual winner after former Australia captain Ricky Ponting.
“Aggressive fast bowlers are something you’d have seen back in the day with the likes of (Dennis) Lillee and (Jeff) Thomson. It’s nice to be able to contribute and do the job that I’ve always thought I’ve been able to do,” Johnson, who was playing a limited-overs international against South Africa in Perth on Friday when the awards were confirmed, said in a statement. “I suppose it comes down to the attitude I’ve got, the belief and the confidence.
“I’m very happy with where I am at the moment and I want to keep getting better as a cricketer.”
Other previous winners since the inception of the award in 2004 include Sachin Tendulkar, Kumar Sangakkara and Michael Clarke.
South Africa’s A.B. de Villiers was voted the ODI player of 2014, and England wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor was named women’s player of the year.
