Clarke is Australia's Player of the Year

Michael Clarke: winner © Getty Images

Michael Clarke has been named Australia's Player of the Year at the annual Allan Border Medal count in Melbourne. Damien Martyn won the Test Player of the Year honour, and Andrew Symonds is ODI Player of the Year.

Clarke, 23, polled 54 of the votes, ahead of fellow batsman Damien Martyn (51) and wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist (41) in third. The votes were cast by teammates, media and umpires in Australia's Test and one-day matches over the past year. Among his outstanding performances were Test centuries in his first matches both away and at home, 6 for 9 in India and two one-day centuries as an opener.

Votes were cast from Australia's tours of Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Europe and India last year, last year's home winter series against Sri Lanka and the home summer against New Zealand, Pakistan and West Indies. Damien Martyn was rewarded with the Test Player of the Year award for striking two centuries and a 97 against India, and two unbeaten centuries against Pakistan.

Symonds pipped Clarke and the fast bowler Michael Kasprowicz to the honour of being named ODI Player of the Year. All three players got 15 votes, but Symonds took the honours as he was ajudged his side's best player across four matches, while Clarke was best in three and Kasprowicz's votes came from just two games.

Strong performances from Symonds, 29, in Australia's 3-2 victory against Sri Lanka in March helped him to win the title. He took 2 for 34 and struck 40 runs in the fifth match at Colombo.

Clarke, however, may consider himself unlucky not to have taken the award. He struck two centuries and a 97, as well as taking 5 for 35 against Sri Lanka, while the eventual winner Symonds rounded off his season with a disappointing run of five ducks in six innings in the VB series against Pakistan and West Indies.

Winners
Australian One-Day Player of the Year - Andrew Symonds
Australian State Player of the Year - Andy Bichel
Australian Young Player of the Year - Mark Cosgrove
Australian Woman Player of the Year - Karen Rolton
Australian Test Player of the Year - Damien Martyn
Australian Cricketer of the Year - Michael Clarke