Andy Flower Photo CricInfo

Andy Flower, the Zimbabwe wicket-keeper/batsman, has emerged as the Player of the Year in a new survey of Test cricket conducted among users of the world's leading cricket website, CricInfo.com.

Other winners were Indian batsman VVS Laxman for his innings of 281 against Australia at Kolkata in the second Test, while that particular Test was voted Match of the Year. More than 3,000 readers in no fewer than 65 countries responded to the poll, which was sponsored by Ladbrokes.

However, perhaps the biggest winner was Test cricket itself. A significant proportion of those who took part in the survey thought that, despite the legacy of match-fixing and the unseemly spat over the Sehwag affair, Test cricket had really captured the public's imagination and is reaching new heights.

International Cricket Council Chief Executive Malcolm Speed greeted the findings of the survey by saying: "It's great news that cricket fans around the world are recognising and appreciating the unique qualities of Test match cricket.

"The last year has witnessed some truly outstanding matches and performances from teams and individuals. One of the aims behind launching the ICC Test Championship was to promote the purest form of the game and if this has helped contribute to this resurgence of interest it will have begun to have fulfilled its purpose."

According to CricInfo's users, it is Steve Waugh and his Australian side who should take much of the credit for this, not only for achieving such a dominant position in world cricket but also by the manner in which they have done so.

A comment from Dev Ramgopaul in Canada is representative of the views of many. "Test cricket, in my opinion, has been projected to an entirely new level. The trend set by the Australians has seen teams actively seeking results rather than the cowardly defensive role that was hindering the game's progress."

Another CricInfo user, David Dunphy in the UK, agrees that the game has overcome its problems in impressive style. "At present, cricket is in a process of recovery since the recent controversies surrounding match-fixing. However, with many magnificent individual and team performances it can be said that Test cricket is as good now as it ever was."

Aditya Prasad in India makes an interesting point about the influence of one-day internationals on Test cricket. "Three years ago I felt that Test cricket was nearing its end. After watching for the last couple of years where runs are being scored at a quicker pace due to the amount of ODIs played, Test cricket has become more exciting."

VVS Laxman Photo CricInfo

David Norman in Australia also makes the comparison with one-day cricket. "Test cricket has re-evolved into a great spectacle. The slow scoring and defensive tactics in the late seventies and eighties drove traditional Test cricket viewers to become more attracted to the one-day game. The evolution of one day cricket from a bash and slog-a-thon into a tactical and clinical game meant that it too became comparatively boring. However, with aggressive captaincy and the 'win despite the risks' attitude taken in particular by Steve Waugh and Shaun Pollock, Test cricket has again overtaken one-day cricket as the exciting game to watch."

Richard Coyle from the UK commented: "Test cricket is extremely exciting at the moment with captains taking risks and pursuing results rather than playing for draws."

That is a theme taken up by Bikram Ahuja from India. "The state of today's Test cricket is better than it was before. A result is guaranteed 80% of the time unless the weather intervenes. That is better than watching matches when weaker teams played for a draw right from the start."

Chris House, a New Zealander, had to swallow hard before commenting: "I applaud Steve Waugh's brilliant captaincy, and his quest for a result. India and Australia are the shining lights of Test cricket, the version of the game I love above all else."

In general, there was much praise for Steve Waugh's captaincy – a contributory factor in Australia being generally recognised as the best ever Test team. This was a subject, however, that engendered fierce debate, with the West Indies side of the late seventies and eighties being seen by many as the only side in the history of cricket to outshine the current Australians.

The ICC came in for a certain amount of criticism, being perceived as an impotent organisation that needs to take a much firmer grip on the game it governs. Nevertheless, the ICC is applauded unanimously for the introduction of the world Test championship, with some respondents wanting the idea developed so that there is a Test equivalent of a world cup tournament. Match referees and umpiring were also subjects of hot debate among the site's users, with the consensus being that more consistency, training, and assistance from technology would enhance the contribution of the match officials.

It is not only the players who are tired out by the proliferation of one-day internationals. Many respondents to the survey claim that they are suffering from 'ODI fatigue' and take the opportunity to press the claims of Test cricket as being in the ascendancy as a result of the positive, attacking cricket seen of late.

Andy Flower won the Player of the Year poll by a clear margin from another wicket-keeper/batsman, Adam Gilchrist of Australia. Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan was third.

Flower was second in the Performance of the Year poll after his 199 not out and 142 against South Africa in the second Test against Zimbabwe in Harare, but VVS Laxman was the clear winner in this category by an enormous margin. Laxman carried 52.33% of the votes compared to Flower's 17.94%, with Mark Butcher in third place after his innings of 173 not out to help England to victory over Australia in the fourth Test at Headingley.

Not only did India and Australia attract the plaudits for putting on the Test of the Year in Kolkata, the two teams featured in second place for the third Test in Chennai. The third Test in Karachi between Pakistan and England was third in this category.

© CricInfo