Kent's Charlotte Edwards has won the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year award.

Edwards, who captains England, is the first British player to win the award since its inception and she was presented with the honour by Ravi Shastri in Dubai on Wednesday night.

Edwards said: "This has just topped off an unbelievable year for me personally and the team as well. To be honest I am a bit shocked, but really pleased to accept this award.

“We’ve had a fantastic year with series wins over New Zealand, the West Indies, South Africa and India as well as the Ashes victory in Australia in February, which was a personal highlight.

"We’ll look to continue that form as we head into next year with the ICC Women’s World Cup in Australia in March and the ICC World Twenty20 in England in June.

"This is a massive night for women’s cricket. It’s a huge honour for me to be involved in a ceremony like this – I’m so glad that the ICC is recognising the women’s game.

"It’s a big moment for the other girls who have been nominated for this and I am honoured to be included in that short-list, let alone win it.”

During the voting period, Edwards played 18 ODIs for England scoring 492 runs at the top of the order at an average of 54.66. She also took 15 wickets at 19.03 with her leg-spin.

In the only Test match she played during the voting period, Edwards scored 94 and 14 not out as England beat Australia by six wickets at Bowral, New South Wales.

The 28-year-old, who also captains Kent took the award ahead of team mate Claire Taylor, who was also nominated last year, Nicola Browne of New Zealand and Australia’s Lisa Sthalekar.

Former Kent batsman Mark Benson missed out on the accolade of Umpire of the Year at the ICC Awards in Dubai on Wednesday.

Benson was shortlisted for the award alongside Rudi Koertzen, Steve Davis, Aleem Dar and Simon Taufel. It was Taufel who won the award for the fifth successive year.