Ashes hero Andrew Flintoff heads the final shortlist for the prestigious International Cricket Council Player of the Year award, it was announced on Wednesday.
All-rounder Flintoff, man of the series after the 2-1 series triumph, has also been nominated for the ICC One-Day Player of the Year accolade. He was voted the Professional Cricketers Association Player of the Year in London on Tuesday.
Australia wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist, South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis, Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul Haq and Aussie fast bowler Glenn McGrath are the others in the reckoning for Player of the Year.
Gilchrist, who struggled on the Ashes tour, has been named in three of the four categories. Kallis, Inzamam and McGrath have also been nominated for the Test Player of the Year award.
South African-born England batsman Kevin Pieterson has been nominated for the One-Day Player of the Year and Emerging Player of the Year awards.
The selection was based on performances between August 1, 2004 and July 31 this year. The awards will be presented at a function in Sydney on October 11 during the Super Series between champions Australia and the ICC World XI.
The nominees were voted by a 50-member panel of current and ex-players and officials from among players selected by a committee headed by India's Sunil Gavaskar.
Nominations:
Player of the Year: Andrew Flintoff (England), Glenn McGrath, Adam Gilchrist (both Australia), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), Inzamam-ul Haq (Pakistan).
Test Player of the Year: Gilchrist, Inzamam, Kallis, McGrath, Shane Warne (Australia).
One-day Player of the Year: Flintoff, Gilchrist, Brett Lee, Andrew Symonds (both Australia), Kevin Pieterson (England).
Emerging Player of the Year: Aftab Ahmed (Bangladesh), Ian Bell (England), Dinesh Karthik (India), Pieterson, AB de Villiers (South Africa).
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