Kallis takes Wisden award

9 April 2008

Jacques Kallis © Getty Images

South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis has been named as the leading cricketer in the world by the 2008 Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack.

The 32-year-old scored more Test runs than anyone else last year - 1,210 at an average of 86.42 - and added 987 in one-day internationals.

He struck five Test centuries, including 155 and 100 not out in the same match against Pakistan at Karachi, followed by 59 and 107 not out in the next one at Lahore, and racked up scores of 186 and 131 in successive innings against New Zealand.

Kallis, who has played 118 Tests for the Proteas, also took 20 Test wickets at 25.75, with 19 more in ODIs.

In the accompanying article in Wisden, Peter Roebuck wrote: "Kallis will look back on 2007 as the year he cut loose, the year he dared to dominate a match and even a series.

"It was the year he came to understand that greatness cannot be attained until the chains have been broken, the year he swept all before him."

Kallis is the fifth player to win the accolade of "Leading Cricketer in the World" since it began in 2004 to identify the first name on a World XI teamsheet to play Mars.

Previous winners include the Australians Ricky Ponting and Shane Warne, England’s Andrew Flintoff and, last year, Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka.