Ponting star the brightest of all

Two awards, no surprises © Getty Images

Last September, Ricky Ponting suffered the ignominy of being the man to let go Australia's near-two-decade-long stranglehold on the Ashes, but since then, he has atoned in the best possible fashion, harvesting runs by the hundreds in both forms of the game, and leading his team to 11 Test wins out of 12.

Even before Imran Khan's extempore speech started the proceedings at the ICC Awards, the two that he won - the ICC Player of the Year the Test Player of the Year - were the easiest to predict. Apart from leading his team to so much success after the Ashes debacle, Ponting made big runs when it mattered, scripting some unforgettable centuries - with the last-day romp at Sydney and a nerve-wracking clincher at Fatullah especially eye-catching.

It was fitting that Sachin Tendulkar presented the night's biggest award, given that Ponting will, in all likelihood, smash almost every batting record in the book by the time he walks off a pitch for the final time. Harking back to last year, and the surrender of the Ashes, Ponting spoke of his pride at the manner in which he and his side had bounced back. "It was important that we showed character at the first opportunity," he said. "We had to take a long hard look at ourselves.

"I didn't score the runs I'd have liked," he said, though he went on to say that the match-saving century at Old Trafford, when he staved off England's four-pronged pace attack with a resplendent 156, was the innings that had given him the most satisfaction.

Ponting was also named in both the Test and ODI XI chosen by the panel, and though he didn't say so in as many words, the choice of Rahul Dravid as captain of the Test side appeared to irk him. "I don't know what the criteria is," he said, "but we didn't do a lot wrong [as a Test side]." The loss at Trent Bridge, which ultimately cost Australia the Ashes, came under consideration, and Ponting will no doubt be aware that the jury will remain out on his captaincy until he gets the urn back.

Dravid, who said it was a "privilege" to lead such a side, albeit one that exists only on paper, expressed his disappointment at India missing out on the final stages of the Champions Trophy - "We've stumbled a bit over the past couple of months" - and reckoned that Australia would head to Brisbane as favourites to regain the Ashes.

No self-respecting awards ceremony is complete without entertainment © Getty Images

"Australia definitely start favourites," he said. "If England can get runs on the board and keep all their bowlers fit, they have a chance." When asked whether Andrew Flintoff could once again shoulder the allround burden, he said: "If any man can do it, it's Andrew Flintoff."

The choice of Brett Lee as 12th man in the Test side raised more than one eyebrow, given the manner in which he has assumed the new-ball mantle from Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie. In the period under consideration, he had 67 wickets at 31.77, compared to McGrath's haul of 34 at 29.7. Lee, who gave the sport one of its most celebrated images while being consoled by Flintoff after the two-run defeat at Edgbaston, was on hand to present the Spirit of Cricket award - which had greater resonance in the wake of the Oval forfeit and recent drug scandals. With the Flintoff-led England team halfway through their journey to Australia, the award was accepted by David Morgan, chairman of the ECB. "There's no harm in playing it tough, as long as you play by the rules," said Lee, who has steadfastly refused to abide by the ugly Aussie image advocated by some of his predecessors.

He, and many others in that elite fast-bowling fraternity, would also have taken heed of Imran's opening address. While talking of how the game had changed since his time, Imran also spoke of how too much one-day cricket was killing fast bowling. It's been a common refrain from the likes of Lee, Shane Bond and Shoaib Akhtar, and the sooner that people in authority listen, the better.

Michael Hussey's excellent progress since breaking into the side in both forms of the game was rewarded with the ODI player of the year award, picked up from Tony Greig in the backdrop of archival clips that paid tribute to the late Kerry Packer. Greig spoke eloquently about Packer's legacy, and footage of Ian Chappell saying how Australian cricketers were paid $200 for a Test in the mid-'70s showed everyone present just how one man's vision and ambition had taken cricketers from being glorified indentured labourers to true professionalism. In this age of cynicism, with officials everywhere talking in terms of dollars and contracts and little else, there'd be a lot less unease if people were sure that they loved their sport as much as Packer patently did.

Ponting with Karen Rolton ... the Ponting of her age in the women's game © Getty Images

Perhaps the most important award of the night though was the one given to Karen Rolton, the Women's Player of the Year. Having put off surgery on damaged knee cartilage to be present for the ceremony, Rolton - who has been the Ponting of her age in the women's game - was a fitting recipient as the cricket community finally came into line with the rest of the world when it comes to gender equality.

On a night when the stars in the crowd were nearly as numerous as those in the sky above, it was Ponting that shone brightest. He said it was a big thrill to get his hands on two trophies, and with a Champions Trophy final on Sunday and a World Cup to defend in March-April, there might be several more opportunities for acceptance speeches. You sense though that the trophy that he craves most, which also happens to be the smallest, will be up for grabs at Sydney in January.

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