It may seem odd for everyone to want their say on the musings of one book but Wisden is an annual above all others. 150 not out says it all. Cricket's annual yellow bible traditionally selects five stars of the sport in the past year but differs from most other lists in that it excludes players who haven't previously been chosen.
The 2013 quintet are all deserving but the shock is that Jacques Kallis hadn't appeared before. Is it because of his previous failures in England? Is it because the selections tend to focus on the English domestic season? I suspect there is a bit of both but also the Saffer all-rounder's consistency over the years. He has career statistics few can match - ever - but while he has enjoyed many good years, there may often have been two or three other batsmen who have had a great one, and that is all that's needed to win the vote.
His partner in crime on the 2012 tour of these shores, Hashim Amla, certainly could be ignored no longer. He is a colossus of cricket across all formats, with only Michael Clarke (a 2010 choice) rivalling him on the international stage. The third South African on the list, Dale Steyn also somehow evaded Wisden's panel over the past decade but as the undisputed king of fast bowling, his achievements last year made him a shoo-in. Maybe Saeed Ajmal can count himself unlucky for a second year in succession, but the next time Pakistan come to England, a big haul of wickets will surely earn him a place amongst the five.
Marlon Samuels also benefited from a consistent run of high scores against England, along with a 260 against Bangladesh in November, and became the fourth overseas player in the list. Since 1997, the Wisden Five has featured a West Indian only once, when Ottis Gibson and Shiv Chanderpaul broke the drought in 2008, so congratulations to Marlon for flying the Caribbean flag.
The only English-qualified man this time is Nick Compton, whose prolific start to the 2012 summer also earned him an England call-up and Somerset fans like me a headache for the coming county campaign. The top bowler in the Championship, Graeme Onions didn't qualify because he was included three years ago, and the superb Alastair Cook appeared in 2012, his 'annus memorabilis'.
Are there any genuine world stars never to have been amongst Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year? Well, there is no Ganguly, no Sehwag and
neither Hussey brother (despite some prolific summers in the county game). On the other hand there have been some solid county pros whose runs and wickets in a particular season have delivered the Wisden vote if not a lengthy international career. Last year's Alan Richardson, Ian Austin (1999), Nigel Briers (1993) and Tim Munton (1995) spring to mind.
Three months into 2013, are there any obvious candidates for the 2014 Wisden? The Champions Trophy and Ashes will probably produce the leading candidates but Messrs Ashwin, De Villiers and Pujara must be in with a shout. On the basis of two days of the County Championship, maybe James Vince and Chris Jordan should also be dusting off their suits ready for next Spring!
