Full name Allan Robert Border

Born July 27, 1955, Cremorne, Sydney, New South Wales

Current age 53 years 347 days

Major teams Australia, Essex, Gloucestershire, New South Wales, Queensland

Nickname AB

Playing role Lower middle order batsman

Batting style Left-hand bat

Bowling style Slow left-arm orthodox

Fielding position Second slip, Short mid wicket

Other Coach, Administrator

Height 5 ft 9 in

Education North Sydney Boys' High School

Allan Border parlayed three shots and a fanatical zeal about not giving away his wicket into the most durable career that cricket in his time had known. At his retirement he had featured in more Tests, more consecutive Tests, more Tests as captain and more catches than any other player - and a batting average of 50 as well. His underused left-arm spin once brought him 11 for 96 against West Indies, and he was also an artful one-day player with a deadly arm from short midwicket. Not a natural leader, nor a man of frills, he came reluctantly to the captaincy in a dark age for Australia after Kim Hughes' tearful resignation at Brisbane in 1984-85, but eventually applied himself to the task as proudly as to his batting. From the World Cup win in 1987 and regaining the Ashes two years later, Australia crusaded under Border until in 1993 they came within one ball of conquering the world by beating West Indies. After he retired from Test cricket he played in Queensland's maiden Sheffield Shield win, was named 12th man in Australia's Team of the Century, coached Australia A, and became a selector in 1998. He resigned his post in Trevor Hohns' panel in 2005 in favour of pursuing his media interests, particularly as a pay-television pundit, but he returned a year later to assist the new chairman Andrew Hilditch. Four months after re-joining he suddenly stepped down again due to expanding business commitments. His importance to the game is recognised annually when the Australian Player of the Year receives the Allan Border Medal.
Greg Baum

Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1982

Australian Cricket Hall of Fame 2000

Australian selector 1998-2005, 2006

Feb 3, 2009

Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke tied for the Allan Border Medal

© Getty Images

Nov 19, 2008

Kapil Dev, Allan Border and Clive Lloyd demonstrate a dubious line in fashion at a sponsor's event

© Getty Images

Nov 10, 2008

Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Anil Kumble hold aloft the series trophy presented by Allan Border and Sunil Gavaskar

© AFP

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