Smith lifts Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy

SYDNEY, Australia, (CMC):

Australia Test captain Steve Smith has captured the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy after being honoured as the ICC Cricketer of the Year for 2015.

The 26-year-old, who has emerged as one of the finest batsmen in world cricket, was also voted as the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year.

Smith was the leading run-scorer in Tests during the period under consideration, compiling 1,734 runs from 13 Tests at an average of 82.57, with seven centuries and six half-centuries.

Smith also gathered 1,249 runs at an average of just under 60 with four centuries and eight half-centuries from 26 one-day internationals.

"Given that there are so many great players around the world, I'm incredibly honoured to receive these awards," Smith said.

"While team success is always my number-one motivation, awards like this are very special. I'm thrilled and very proud to receive them."

He is the fourth Australian player to receive the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, following Ricky Ponting in 2006 and 2007, Mitchell Johnson in 2009, and 2014 and Michael Clarke two years ago.

Smith is also the seventh cricketer after Indian star Rahul Dravid (2004), South African Jacques Kallis (2005), Ponting (2006), Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara (2012), Clarke (2013) and Johnson (2014), to complete the double of Cricketer of the Year and Test Player of the Year.

Meanwhile, South African AB de Villiers was voted ICC ODI Player of the Year, while fellow countryman Faf du Plessis won the Twenty20 International Performance of the Year for his 119 off 56 balls against West Indies in the second T20I in Johannesburg last January.

The ICC Cricketer of the Year trophy is named after the legendary West Indies all-rounder Sir Garry Sobers, widely considered the finest all-rounder to have played the game.