Hayden drew first blood in Brisbane |
BBC Sport pinpoints the defining moments for Wisden's five cricketers of the year.
Matthew Hayden
197 v England, 1st Test, Brisbane
To blame Nasser Hussain for his decision to bowl first on the opening day of the Ashes series would be to do Australia's opening batsman a disservice.
Hayden single-handedly wrestled the Ashes from England's grip, reaching 186 not out at stumps on that first day with some brutal strokes square of the wicket.
Asked what his greatest challenge had been in the match, browbeaten England bowler Matthew Hoggard replied simply, "That bloody left-hander".
Adam Hollioake
Winning the County Championship, 7 September 2002
 Hollioake led a motivated Surrey to the title |
While the greatest moments of the other five were celebrated on the field of play, Adam Hollioake's achievement of leading Surrey to a third County Championship in four years came on a weekend when they did not play.
Famed for his man-management skills, Hollioake missed the first half of the season following the tragic death of brother Ben in a car crash in March.
But when he did return to The Oval he was invigorated, most obviously when he smashed 117 not out from 59 balls against Sussex and seven sixes in one Championship innings against Kent.
Hollioake said he had not been motivated by his brother's loss but simply saw the game in a different way: his team thought differently, dedicating their season to the all-rounder.
Nasser Hussain
75 and 72 v Australia, 5th Test, Sydney
His 155 against India at Lord's was his highest score of the year but it was at Sydney that Hussain displayed his greatest talent - batting in support of his stars.
In the first innings he was part of a 166-run stand while Mark Butcher, and in the second he braved the fire with Michael Vaughan in a 189-run third-wicket partnership.
During the tour the England skipper was criticised for his continual tinkering with plans and field-placings but at Sydney it all came right in a consolation 225-run victory.
Shaun Pollock
99*, 2/51 and 2/51 v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Centurion
The former South Africa captain has not achieved either a century or a five-wicket haul in either form of the game in the last 12 months.
But he has maintained a Test batting average 47.44 while taking 50 wickets at 21.98 since September 2001.
 It makes me so angry that Hussain and Pollock have been declared two of the five players of the year. |
Almanack editor Tim de Lisle argued: "Pollock has been one of the world's leading seam bowlers for seven years now.
"He is as good a new-ball bowler as Glenn McGrath and also makes stylish centuries at number nine."
Pollock came closest to that with a brisk innings at Centurion Park in November, entering with his side lagging behind Sri Lanka's first innings 323 and leading them to 448.
Michael Vaughan
177 v Australia, 2nd Test, Adelaide
 Vaughan was imperious at Adelaide |
If the Yorkshire opener had one problem in 2002-03 it was a propensity to get out shortly before reaching a double century - on four occasions he fell within 25 runs of 200.
But, for the Ashes series at least, Vaughan was fighting a one-man battle against the might of Australia.
His innings at Adelaide was typical. For the entire first day he dominated the home side's world-beating attack, pulling and cutting audaciously.
No other England batsman managed to pass 50, and Vaughan's dismissal to the last ball of the day spelt the end of the tourists' resistance - they eventually lost by an innings.
MMIX
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