MELBOURNE, Feb 11: Matthew Hayden won the Allan Border Medal Monday as Australia’s cricketer of the year, joining Glenn McGrath (2000) and Steve Waugh (2001) as the winner of the country’s newest and most prestigious cricketing prize.

The left-handed opening batsman was a clear-cut winner of the award, which was decided by a poll of players, umpires and media, and broadcast live on national television.

Leg-spinner Shane Warne finished second in the voting while Tasmanian middle-order batsman Ricky Ponting was named one-day player of the year.

While the Allan Border medal recognises players’ performances in Test and one-day cricket Hayden won the award largely through his superb displays in the Test arena.

The 30-year-old was the world’s leading runscorer in Tests last year and scored

1,509 runs at an average of 71.85 during the 12-month voting period, which ended last weekend.

Ponting was also a clear winner of the one-day award after scoring 689 runs in 17 matches at an average of 45.93 over the year, finishing ahead of Australian vice-captain Adam Gilchrist.

South Australian all-rounder Darren Lehmann won the state player of the year for the third season in a row while 20-year-old Tasmanian all-rounder Shane Watson was named young player of the year a week after being included in the touring team for South Africa.

Greg Chappell and Stan McCabe were inducted into the Australian cricket hall of fame.

McCabe was a team mate of Don Bradman. He scored 2748 runs at 48 but is best remembered for his unbeaten 187 in the first Bodyline Test of 1932-33 and his 232 against England at Trent Bridge in 1938, an innings Bradman described as the greatest he’d ever seen. McCabe died in 1968.—Reuters