RICKY Ponting was allowed to momentarily forget the pain of losing the Ashes last night, becoming the first player to twice win the Allan Border Medal for Australia's best cricketer.
The Australian cricket captain's massive 2608-run haul, including centuries in both innings of his 100th Test match, made him a clear favourite to win the cricketing honour, which he first won in 2004.
Accepting the award last night, Ponting lauded his team as the best sporting team in the world and vowed to "put up a better show than we did in the ashes only a few months ago".
"For me to be captain of that side is a great honour and great thrill and something I'll never give up. I love doing it and will keep doing it to the best of my ability."
While Ponting had earlier talked down his chances, the awards night at Melbourne's Crown casino went exactly to plan, with Ponting taking the top gong and batting star Michael Hussey claiming the more fiercely contested one-day cricketer of the year. Shane Warne celebrated his record-breaking year by winning the Test cricketer of the year.
The legendary spin bowler, who in the past 12 months took 96 wickets and separated from wife Simone, strolled down the red carpet with his eight-year-old daughter, Brooke.
Alluding to his marriage break-up as he accepted the award, Warne said: "As international cricketers you make a lot of sacrifices but it makes it all worthwhile when you play in such a great side."
True to tradition, the players' partners stole the limelight on the red carpet, in plunging designer dresses and sparkling baubles.
After causing a minor stir at the event two years ago for accepting his award without a neck tie, Ponting made no fashion faux pas this year, dressed sharply in a black suit with a full-length black tie. His wife, Rianna, looked stunning in a Grecian-style, floor-length yellow Lisa Ho dress and impressive jewellery.
As is now the trend at the Brownlow Medal - the AFL's night of nights - many players eschewed the traditional black tie in favour of regulation ties with designer suits.
Bowler Brett Lee arrived with girlfriend Liz Kemp, who looked stunning in a backless gold halter dress. Christine Padfield - David Hookes's girlfriend at the time of his death two years ago - arrived in an eye-catching shoestring-strapped, sheer black dress with Australian one-day fast bowler Mick Lewis.
Nathen and Haley Bracken made the biggest splash of the evening with the NSW fast bowler choosing an emerald-green tie to match his wife's extraordinary, deep-cleavaged green lace sheath.
Notable absences were Glenn and Jane McGrath, who learned last week that the mother of two would need to undergo radiotherapy for a recurrence of her cancer. Michael Kasprowicz, one of Glenn McGrath's fast-bowling colleagues, said he had sent a personal text message of support to the couple before last night's ceremony.
"Everyone's hoping for the best for her," he said.
The big loser of the night was one-day specialist Andrew Symonds, who would have won one-day cricketer of the year but was ineligible after a suspension for drinking during Australia's tour of England.
NSW opening batsman Phil Jacques won the state player of the year while South Australian off-spinner Daniel Cullen won the Bradman Young cricketer of the year and Karen Rolton the women's cricketer of the year.
- PETER KRUPKA and JAMES MADDEN