Warne certain to miss Allan Border Medal again

Sydney, Feb 4 (UNI) This is one award that has eluded Shane Warne even in the heydays of his Test career and the Aussie Spin King is all set to miss the Allan Border medal once again with skipper Ricky Ponting emerging as the third-time favourite.

According to a report in the 'Sunday Herald Sun', Warne, who bid adieu to his Test career after the Ashes, is tipped to win the Test Player of the Year for the second time despite stiff challenge from Ponting, Stuart Clark and Brett Lee. But the flamboyant leg-spinner is set to miss out on the final chance to grab the coveted Australian cricketer of the Year award.

Warne has always lost out on winning one of the most prestigious honours for Australian cricketers as he had given up one-day cricket in 2003. The voting system takes into account the one-day performances as well, which resulted in the award going to players much junior to Warne like Michael Clarke.

Warne bagged a team-high 49 wickets at 29.11 and 289 runs at 28.90 last year, which make him the the favourite to be named Test Player of the Year. The spin legend is also set to receive another emotional tribute at the eighth edition of the ceremony tomorrow night.

Meanwhile, former and current players have hit out at the voting process of the award saying that not giving the medal to Warne only demeans it.

The players reportedly feel that the medal lays too much emphasis on ODI performances thereby reducing the chances of those doing well in the longher version of the game.

Under the voting system, only five players -- Ponting, Mike Hussey, Lee, Clarke and Adam Gilchrist -- are considered genuine contenders.

The system has denied Warne a shot at the top honour and former players think that amounts to injustice to one of Australia's most celebrated cricketers.

''In the eyes of most that have seen him, Shane is one of the greats of all time in every regard,'' former Test wicketkeeper Steve Rixon said.

''It's disappointing for Shane because he's pretty well done everything in the game that's humanly possible and yet he doesn't hold that medal as one of his own,'' he added.

UNI