Wisden overview
Allan Border parlayed three shots and a fanatical zeal about not giving away his wicket into the most durable career cricket has known, featuring more Tests, more consecutive Tests, more Tests as captain and, at the time of his retirement, more catches than any other player - and a batting average of 50 as well. His underused left-arm spin once brought him 11/96 against the West Indies. He was also an artful one-day player with a deadly arm from short midwicket. Not a natural leader, nor a man of frills, he came reluctantly to the captaincy in a dark age for Australia, but eventually applied himself to the task as proudly as to his batting. From the World Cup win in 1987 and regaining the Ashes two years later, Australia crusaded under Border until in 1993 they came within one ball of conquering the world by beating West Indies. After he retired from Test cricket he played in Queensland's maiden Sheffield Shield win, was named 12th man in Australia's Team of the Century, and became a selector. The Australian Player of the Year now receives the Allan Border Medal. Greg Baum

Cricketer of the Year 1983

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