Ricky Ponting was awarded the Allan Border medal as Australian cricketer of the year at a function on Thursday. Ponting also won his second consecutive Test player award, while Adam Gilchrist was named top one-day player of 2003.
Ponting was just the second batsman ever to top 1,500 Test runs in a calendar year, averaging 100.02.
He also hit 1,154 one-day runs, including 140 in the World Cup final against India to lead Australia to their second successive title.
"The last 12 months have been an exceptional year for me - I don't see any reason why I can't improve," said Ponting.
"The challenge is there for me now to remain consistent at this high level."
Glenn McGrath (2000), Waugh (2001), Matthew Hayden (2002) and Gilchrist (2003) are recent winners of the coveted medal.
Gilchrist led the one-day voting for the second straight year with 28 votes, four ahead of Ponting and Brett Lee.
Ponting finished well clear in the voting for his first Allan Border medal, polling 139 with Hayden second on 91 and Gilchrist third on 71.
Off-spinner Hugh Trumble and all-rounder Alan Davidson were to be inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame at the dinner in Melbourne.
Trumble, who died in 1938, was the first man to take two Test hat-tricks, both against England in 1901/02 and 1903/04.
Davidson is one of nine Australians to have taken 100 wickets (186) and scored 1,000 runs (1,328) in Tests.
Awards:
Allan Border medal: Ricky Ponting
Test Player of the Year: Ricky Ponting
One-Day International Player: Adam Gilchrist
Women's Player of the Year: Cathryn Fitzpatrick
State Player: Simon Katich (New South Wales)
Bradman Young Cricketer: Shaun Tait (South Australia)
MMIX
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
