Ironically, the only award to elude the Aussies went the way of Pakistan’s Mohammad Yousuf, who was named the Test Player of the Year after stacking up 944 runs from six Tests at a whopping average of 94.40, and inclusive of five centuries and two fifties in ten innings. Yousuf has since signed up with the ICC non-recognised Indian Cricket League.
Ponting collected the most prestigious award of them all, the Cricketer of the Year for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, for an unprecedented second straight year. He was also named the Captain of the Year in a straight fight with Mahela Jayawardene, fairly predictable after leading the Aussies to their first Champions Trophy success in India last November and following it up with a 5-0 wallopping of England to regain the Ashes. The crowning glory was leading the Aussie charge for a record fourth World Cup in the Caribbean in April. “I would like to share this success with my team-mates down there,” said Ponting from the dais, a little over six hours after arriving from Australia after tending to his ailing wife.
Paceman Shaun Tait was named the Emerging Player of the Year, while Matthew Hayden capped a remarkable comeback by running away with the ODI Player of the Year. This time last year, Hayden wasn’t even in the Aussie one-day scheme of things, only getting his chance because Shane Watson was out with one of his numerous injuries. The left-hander made the most of it with one sensational performance after another to stack up 1,368 runs in 26 games at an exceptional 62.18, a strike-rate of 87.69, a highest of  181 not out, and in all, five hundreds and four fifties in 25 innings.
“It is really special,” the soft-spoken opener said. “In a World Cup year, your performances reflect where you are as a cricketing nation. This is an incredible honour. When I was out of the side, I hadn’t given up.
“I was sending out messages to whoever cared to listen that Matthew Hayden was not finished with playing one-day internationals. The great thing was that everyone else and, more importantly, I myself believed that I wasn’t done with it yet. The circumstances make this award even more memorable.”
Australia put out four players each in the ODI and Test teams of the Year, and Simon Taufel was named the Umpire of the Year for the fourth consecutive time. These Aussies, they are all over the place, really!