Ellyse Perry named cricketer of the year

Australian allrounder Ellyse Perry's stellar 2016 has seen her recognised as the world's leading woman cricketer by Wisden.

The Southern Stars player was the only Australian honoured in the awards by the highly regarded Wisden, which produces the yearly Cricketers' Almanack.

Perry, 26, averaged 81.22 with the bat in one-day internationals last year, taking 20 wickets.

She is the second Australian to win the award since its 2014 introduction after captain Meg Lanning, with New Zealand's Suzie Bates taking the award for 2015.

Indian captain Virat Kohli, who averaged 75.93 in Test cricket in 2016 with four centuries, was the men's leading cricketer.

He also led the team to Test series victories over the West Indies, New Zealand and England, as well as to the ICC World T20 title.

Veteran Pakistan duo Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan were named among the world five cricketers of the year, alongside Englishmen Chris Woakes, Ben Duckett and Toby Roland-Jones.