LONDON, April 4: Australia’s Adam Gilchrist, Damien Martyn and Jason Gillespie have been named among the world’s top five players in the 2002 edition of the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanac.

The 139th edition of Wisden, which is published Friday, also lists India’s Vangipurappu Laxman and Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower in a line up that includes no English players for only the second time in the almanac’s history.

Wicket-keeper Gilchrist, vice-captain of the Australia Test and one-day sides, was nominated for scoring “match-winning Test centuries from number seven”, Gillespie for his “alarmingly quick” fastbowling and Martyn for his ability to “compose pristine hundreds.”

Laxman’s record innings of 281 in Kolkata last year, which helped India to an unlikely victory over Australia after being forced to follow-on, accounted for his selection, while batsman and wicket-keeper Flower was named for some “phenomenally consistent” batting that included innings of 142 and 199 not out in one Test against South Africa last year.

In a further indictment of English cricket, editor Graeme Wright described the county game as “a confederacy of mediocrity” and even wondered whether it is a system worth preserving.—Reuters