Watson wins Allan Border Medal

Melbourne, Feb 7 (AFP) Shane Watson capped an outstandingplaying year by winning Australian cricket''s top individualaward, the Allan Border Medal, for the second straight yeartoday.

Watson''s win capped a superb night in Melbourne for the29-year-old allrounder, who also won his second consecutiveone-day international player of the year award and his firstTest player of the year award.

He was also runner-up to David Hussey in the Twenty20award, which was given for the first time.

Watson polled 295 votes in the Allan Border Medal, whichcombines votes for every match in all three formats thatAustralia has played in the year to February 2.

He finished 100 votes clear of Michael Hussey (195) andMitchell Johnson (193) in the medal voting.

In other awards, New South Wales batsman Usman Khawajawas named state player of the year and NSW paceman TrentCopeland was the young player of the year.

Watson scored 435 runs at 48.33 with four half-centuriesin Australia''s 3-1 Ashes series loss to England inNovember-January, and hit a career-best 161 not out duringAustralia''s 6-1 one-day series win over England inJanuary-February.

Since being reinstated to the Australia Test side as anopener in July 2009, Watson has amassed 1,696 runs in 19 Testsat 49.88. (AFP) SHN