Steven Finn wins ICC Emerging Player of the Year

England fast bowler Steven Finn has won the ICC Emerging Player of the Year award at the LG ICC Awards ceremony in Bengaluru.

The 21-year-old, who played in six Test matches in the voting period and took 27 wickets at an average of 21.85, has made an immediate impact within the England side with his extra pace and bounce since making his Test debut in March of this year.

Finn?s best bowling figures in an innings during the voting period came against Bangladesh when he took 5-42 in 10 overs in the second Test at Old Trafford. He had earlier taken another five-for, also against Bangladesh, but this time at Lord?s when he snapped up 5-87.

Finn was the top choice of the 25-person voting academy, coming in ahead of Pakistan?s Umar Akmal, Sri Lanka?s Angelo Matthews and Australia?s Tim Paine.

Receiving his award from legendary West Indies bowler Joel Garner, Finn said: ?It?s a great honour to win this an award I wasn?t expecting and I?m very pleased and honoured to be playing Test match cricket for my country.

?I?ve enjoyed the last few months representing my country and I hope it continues. Next up is the Ashes and I think we?re well prepared to win the series and saying that we?ve got a settled side ready to go for this winter.?

The Emerging Player of the Year Award was one of nine individual prizes given at this year?s LG ICC Awards. Players eligible for this award must be under 26 years of age at the start of the voting period (24 August 2009) and have played no more than five Test matches and/or 10 ODIs before the start of the voting period.

For all the individual awards (with the exceptions of the Women?s Cricketer of the Year and the Umpire of the Year), a long-list compiled by an independent five-person selection panel was forwarded to the 25-person voting academy made up of former players, respected members of the media, an elite umpire and an elite match referee. They voted on a three, two, one basis (with three being the highest value) and the winners emerged.

The selection panel was chaired by West Indies legend Clive Lloyd and included former Australia batsman Matthew Hayden, former England bowler Angus Fraser, former Zimbabwe player and England coach Duncan Fletcher and former India all-rounder Ravi Shastri.