South African fast bowler Dale Steyn is among the five nominees for this year’s LG People’s Choice award.
Steyn is accompanied by England women’s captain Charlotte Edwards, Australia seamer Mitchell Johnson, India all-rounder Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews in the only category voted for by the public, ahead of the 2014 International Cricket Council awards.

Fans will be afforded the chance to vote for one of the esteemed quintet via the ICC’s website – or Twitter – until 30 October. The winner – and the ICC Test and ODI Teams of the Year and the shortlist for the remainder of the awards – will be announced six days later.

‘The support of the fans is vital for the game and particularly valued by the players, hence the significance of the LG People’s Choice award,’ said former South Africa wicketkeeper-batsman and current ICC chief executive David Richardson.

“The overwhelming number of cricket fans who participate to select the winner of this award has made it one of the most prestigious awards in the ICC calendar.

‘None of the deserving nominees have won this award before and this year’s fan favourite will join the exclusive company of previous winners – Sachin Tendulkar in 2010, Kumar Sangakkara in 2011 and 2012 and Mahendra Singh Dhoni last year.’

The 31-year-old Steyn has gathered a prolific 383 wickets in 75 Test matches since December 2004’s promising debut against England at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth. A further 40 will see him surpass former captain Shaun Pollock as the country’s leading wicket-taker in the longest format of the international game.

The Phalaborwa-born pace ace currently occupies first position in the ICC’s player rankings for Test bowlers – and will have the chance to stretch the gap with the second-placed Ryan Harris of Australia when the West Indies tour Johannesburg, Cape Town and surrounds at the end of the year.