Two completed Tests, five ODIs and the concluding match of the mini-tour of India by England his week, long with some competitive first-class games in South Africa and Australia in particular.
In the Super Sport series, wicketkeeper Dane Vilas struck an unbeaten 161 at almost a run a ball as well as taking six catches as the Cape Cobras thumped the Titans. In the Sheffield Shield, Ryan Harris demonstrated again why he is the man for the Australian national side, claiming match figures of 9-83 for Queensland against a Ponting-less Tasmania. At 32, he may be a late bloomer but he has a career first-class bowling average of only 28 and he has made an excellent start to Test cricket in the past year or so.
On the international stage, Harris' ODI rivals wrapped up a 2-1 series win over South Africa but it was the home side's players who took the individual plaudits this week, especially Jacques Kallis and Morne Morkel. In India the two spinning Ravis, Ashwin and Jadeja looked accomplished one-day and T20 bowlers, while Kohli, Raina and Dhoni excelled with the bat as the home nation completed a whitewash of England in the 50-over series. In today's T20, Kevin Pietersen escaped an early reprieve from a dropped catch to strike a match-winning 53.
In Dubai, Saeed Ajmal looked the pick of the bowlers as Pakistan got the better of Sri Lanka. He took 8-113 in the Second Test, conceding only two runs an over as SRi Lanka battled to stay in the game, a fight they eventually lost despite dogged defending by Paranavitana, Sangakkara and Mathews. Rain prevented a result in the First Test between Bangladesh and the West Indies and it's looking close in the Second.
However, my Player of the Week performed in Zimbabwe's exciting win in a high-scoring one-day international in Bulawayo against New Zealand. Ross Taylor and Kyle Williamson each slammed centuries and shared a 195-run partnership on the way to a formidable total of 328-5. However, Zimbabwe kept up with the run rate and it was left to their number six, Malcolm Waller to steer them home brilliantly. As the tail collapsed around him, he managed to hold on and strike the winning run off the penultimate ball with just one wicket remaining. He failed by just one run to register his first ODI hundred but as compensation he wins my award. In first-class cricket, the 27 year-old has made three figures five times, led by the 174 he scored for the Rhinos just three weeks ago. His average stands above 40 but his occasional off-spin has proved more successful in the one-day game. Nevertheless he could be pressing for a Test place at some point soon.
