Sachin Tendulkar Wins Cricinfo’s Best Test Batting Performance Award For 2011

Sachin Tendulkar and Doug Bracewell have won the Test batting and bowling awards in the fifth annual ESPNcricinfo Awards, announced today. Tendulkar's 146 in Cape Town early in 2011 came in testing conditions and in the face of some sublime swing bowling by Dale Steyn. Bracewell won in his debut year in international cricket, for his 6 for 40 in New Zealand's historic seven-run win against Australia in Hobart.

The awards were decided by a 16-member jury that included former players Ian Chappell, Ian Bishop, Ramiz Raja, Kepler Wessels, Geoff Boycott, Martin Crowe, Sanjay Manjrekar and Russel Arnold, and ESPNcricinfo's senior writers. The jurors were asked to pick their top three performances in each category from a shortlist of nominees.Tendulkar was the No. 1 choice of seven jurors out of the 11 who had him in their top three. O'Brien's figures were the next best, with six No. 1 votes.

Also Read : Cricinfo's Article On Sachin's Knock of The Year

While it was Tendulkar's second ESPNcricinfo Award - he won the ODI Batting performance in 2009 for his 175 against Australia in Hyderabad - it was a first for the rest.

Chappell, a former Australia captain, said Tendulkar showed true class during his 146. "He faced 314 balls which is not Tendulkar-like, the strike rate, but these were precious runs. This was another side of Tendulkar, just showing his greatness - his ability to make runs when things were really tough, and he really had to battle."

© ESPNCRICINFO