Allan BORDER

His quality was evident from the start. As the Australian selectors stumbled around for players after their entire squad defected to Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket it was evident that in the young left hander from Sydney they had stumbled on a jewel amongst the dross. Border's economy of movement was noticeable as he batted with maturity against Mike Brearley's 1978-79 attack. In his second Test he not only made 60 not out but bowled the England captain, although little more was heard of his left arm spin in the early part of his career. He was the only newcomer to hold his place when the Packer players returned the following season and after a brief unsuccessful trial at number three he became a leading middle order batsman.

Against Pakistan at Lahore he scored 150 not out and 153 in the same match. He was the only batsman to defy England as Ian Botham turned the series on its head in 1981, only a freak ball from John Emburey stopping him from leading Australia to victory at Edgbaston. In 1982-83 he and Jeff Thomson put on a last wicket stand that took them to within 4 runs of victory against England at Melbourne. In those years he featured in two of Australia's least successful World Cup campaigns, in 1979 and 1983, when they even lost to Zimbabwe thanks to all-round heroics from the future England coach, Duncan Fletcher. If Allan Border had left cricket after his unsuccessful Ashes tour of 1985 he would have been remembered as the only quality Australian batsman of his generation. (Bob Harragan)

From the moment he decided to carry on as Australian captain it was obvious that not only was this a more sanguine Border, but also a more determined one. He and Australia had been humiliated in World Cricket, but now there was a plan, although it took time to mature. In the short term, Border still had to carry the batting, as when he made 152 not out against New Zealand at Brisbane in 1985-86. That winter he began to collect those tough players in whom he would invest for the future. Geoff Marsh made his debut, as did Merv Hughes, also a teenager called Steve Waugh. They learned from their captain as he made 140 & 114 not out in one Test at Christchurch and helped him win a series in India. England were still strong during the next winter, but the Aussies were tougher.

Border made 125 at Perth and 100 not out in Adelaide and his 205 against New Zealand prefaced another series win. Stage one of Australia's recovery was completed when they won the 1987 World Cup. Border's infrequent bowling was the turning point. The England skipper Mike Gatting was caught off him in the final as he tried to reverse sweep. Border's bowling was also in evidence as he popped up with 11 wickets to beat the West Indies at Sydney. The final recovery was his Ashes win in 1989, which he prepared with a season at Essex assessing the best England players and plotting their downfall. Series wins followed in 1990-91 and in 1993, when he scored 200 not out in the fourth Test. Wisden's comments on that innings summed him up: "Grinding down the will to resist", they said. Border played on long enough to pass 10000 Test runs, but he had achieved his real aim in England. (Bob Harragan)