Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook on Sports Personality shortlist

29/11/2011

England cricket captains Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook have been shortlisted for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

The pair are among ten candidates viewers will be able to vote for, with the England cricket team having won the Ashes in Australia before whitewashing India to become the number one Test side.

Fans planning to enjoy corporate hospitality while watching next summer's Test matches at Lords may wish to vote for one of the pair.

Strauss led the side to those triumphs as well as a series win over Sri Lanka, while Cook's prolific form included 766 runs in the Ashes series and a career-best 294 at Edgbaston against India.

Cook has also become captain of the one-day team after Strauss relinquished the post.

The Sports Personality shortlist has been criticised in some quarters for not including any women, with one critic being swimmer Rebecca Adlington.

She said women like fellow swimmer Kerri-Anne Payne should have been on the list and suggested next year may see an all-women shortlist after the Olympics.

Adlington was among the nominees in 2008 after her gold medal success in the Beijing games.

By Liz Johnstone