Lara only WIndies player in Wisden

LONDON: Brian Lara is the only West Indian appearing in a new section of the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanac, published today, that highlights the 40 leading players in the world based on their form in 2003. Lara gained his place after being one of the top run-getters in the world last year and starting this year with the No1 world ranking. Several members of the England cricket team that leads Lara’s side 3-0 in a four-Test series have also been featured in the yellow book, also known as “The Bible of the Game.”

All-rounder Andrew Flintoff has been named among the prestigious “Five Cricketers of the Year.” He was rewarded for his batting in last summer’s drawn series with South Africa. South African duo Graeme Smith and Gary Kirsten, Australian all-rounder Ian Harvey and Sussex captain Chris Adams complete the list of the Wisden “Five Cricketers of the Year.” Flintoff also appears in the new section of the book, along with Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick. Australian captain Ricky Ponting is the first “Leading Cricketer in the World” and heads a list that includes 13 other Australians.

Unlike the five cricketers of the year, the leading player in the world title can be won more than once. Also in the top 40 are seven South Africans, five Indians, four Pakistanis, three Englishmen, three Sri Lankans, two New Zealanders and embattled Zimbabwean Heath Streak. Ponting shares Wisden’s cover with Steve Waugh, his predecessor as Australian captain, following last year’s break with tradition when the Almanac included a picture on the front for the first time.

Wisden’s top 40:
Michael Bevan, Andy Bichel, Mark Boucher, Rahul Dravid, Stephen Fleming, Andrew Flintoff, Herschelle Gibbs, Adam Gilchrist, Jason Gillespie, Matthew Hayden, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Jacques Kallis, Michael Kasprowicz, Gary Kirsten, Anil Kumble, Justin Langer, Brian Lara, Vangipurappu Laxman, Brett Lee, Darren Lehmann, Stuart MacGill, Glenn McGrath, Damien Martyn, Muttiah Muralitharan, Mushtaq Ahmed, Makhaya Ntini, Shaun Pollock, Ricky Ponting, Mark Richardson, Kumar Sangakkara, Virender Sehwag, Shoaib Akhtar, Graeme Smith, Heath Streak, Sachin Tendulkar, Marcus Trescothick, Chaminda Vaas, Michael Vaughan, Steve Waugh, Yousuf Youhana.