Kallis "Leading cricketer in the world"

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South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis has been named as the leading cricketer in the world by the 2008 Wisden Cricketers' Almanac.

The 32-year-old scored more Test runs than anyone else last year - 1210 at an average of 86.42 - and added 987 in one-day internationals.

He struck five Test centuries, including 155 and 100 not out in the same match against Pakistan at Karachi, followed by 59 and 107 not out in the next one at Lahore, and racked up scores of 186 and 131 in successive innings against New Zealand.

Kallis is the fifth player to win the accolade of 'Leading Cricketer in the World' since it began in 2004 to identify the first name on a World XI teamsheet to play Mars.

Previous winners include Australians Ricky Ponting and Shane Warne, Andrew Flintoff of England and, last year, Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka