Jhulan wins criket's 'Oscar'; Sachin opens for World ODI Team

Johannesburg, Sep 11 (UNI) India's lone representative in the ICC annual awards speedster Jhulan Goswami was named as the Women Cricketer of the Year 2007, while master blaster Sachin Tendulkar made it to the ODI Team of the Year as an opener.

The lanky Bengal pacer defeated Aussie Lisa Sthalekar and Claire Taylor of England's stiff challenge enroute to the coveted title.

Sachin Tendulakar, who jumped nine places to take 12th position in the latest LG ICC ODI Cricket Ratings for batsmen after hitting 374 runs in the seven match ODI series against England, was included as the only Indian in the World ODI Team of the Year as an opener.

Australia's Matthew Hayden is giving him the company at the other end. Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralidaran is the only other Asian to feature in the side.

However, no Indian finds a place in the playing eleven in the World Test Team of the Year with Zaheer Khan finding himself as the 12th man in the side having four Australians, one South African, and two players each from England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.

Earlier, the long list of players for the ICC awards, regarded as 'Oscars' of cricket included three Indians -- pacer Zaheer Khan and veteran leggie Anil Kumble in the 'Test Player of the Year' category and dashing left-hander Yuvraj Singh's in the ODI category, but none of them could make it to the pruned list.

Jhulan's new ball partner Rumeli Dhar also failed to make the cut in the shortlist after being named in the initial list.

The 24-year-old Bengali girl has had a remarkable year, averaging 12.40 in Test matches and 21.80 in ODIs. Her phenomenal accuracy with the ball is illustrated by her economy rate of 2.10 in Tests and 3.17 in ODIs.

Her best bowling performance came against England when she took 5 for 33 in the first innings of a Test at Taunton, to set up a five-wicket victory for her side.

She is also a useful batsman and her top score in international cricket also came in this voting period when she hit 69 in another Test against England, at Grace Road, Leicester.

This is the second year of the Women's Player of the Year award with women's cricket having been integrated into the ICC in 2006.

Jhulan was presented with the award by India wicketkeeper-batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

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