At first he was a reluctant cricket captain but, once he hit his stride, Allan Border, born in Sydney in 1955, captained a world record consecutive 93 Test matches for Australia.
His importance to the game of cricket will forever be recognised each year when the Player of the Year receives the Allan Border Medal.
Known affectionately as AB and predominantly a left-hand batsman, Border played 156 Test Matches in his career, a record surpassed by his teammate Steve Waugh.
Border led the Aussies to a World Cup win in 1987 and called the shots in regaining The Ashes two years later.
Border amassed 11,174 Test runs (a world record until it was passed by Brian Lara in 2005) and he hit 27 centuries in his Test career.
He retired as Australia's most capped player and leading run-scorer in both Tests and One Day Internationals. One of 55 inaugural inductees into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame, he was also named as 12th man in Australia’s Team of the Century.
He is also known for his charity work and in 2002 walked with his wife Jane from Sydney to Brisbane raising money for children’s charities.
This person has made the short list for the title National Living Treasure, this title is conferred when someone accomplishes an outstanding achievement, swelling the country’s consciousness with admiration, pride and acknowledgement... be they scientists or sports stars; actors, artists or Indigenous activists; politicians, philanthropists or explorers, The National Trust’s 2012 nominees are a true cross section of our country’s finest.
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