The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today chose Orissa opening batsman Natraj Behera as the best under-22 cricketer for the season 2009-10. Behera, who accumulated 583 runs, including of two hundreds and three fifties (average 64.77) from six matches during the season, will receive the M A Chidambaram Trophy and a cheque of Rs 50,000 at the 4th annual BCCI Awards Ceremony, scheduled to be held at Mumbai on May 31.

Earlier yesterday, the dashing Rourkela batsman emerged as the second costliest player of the ensuing Orissa Premier League (OPL) T20 Tournament when he was bought by Western Samurai Rourkela for Rs 2.9 lakhs. Twenty-two-year-old Natraj, who made his first class debut against Gujarat here in 2008, has so far scored 480 runs in eight matches with one hundred and three fifties.

In 15 List-A and nine T20 matches till date, he has garnered 458 and 151 runs respectively. Natraj was in Kolkata Knight Riders` squad for IPL last year, but did not get chance to play any match.

Orissa Cricket Association (OCA) secretary Asirbad Behera congratulated the young cricketer for the BCCI award and announced a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh. ``We will also felicitate Natraj on the occasion of the opening ceremony of Orissa Premier League at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack on May 22,`` added the OCA secretary.