London - Australia vice-captain Michael Clarke has been named as one of the Wisden Almanack's Five Cricketers of the Year in the 2010 edition of cricket's 'bible'.

The stylish batsman, 29, was Australia's leading run scorer in last year's Ashes with 448 runs at 64 but suffered the disappointment of finishing on the losing side as hosts England triumphed 2-1 in an intriguing series.

Clarke is joined in winning the accolade this year, an award a player can only receive once in his career and which is in the sole gift of the Wisden editor, by England Ashes heroes Stuart Broad, Graham Onions, Matt Prior and Graeme Swann.

Meanwhile India batsman Virender Sehwag becomes the first player to retain Wisden's Leading Cricketer in the World award since it was inaugurated six years ago.

"In 2009, Sehwag broke Test cricket's sound barrier by scoring at more than a run a ball," explained Wisden editor Scyld Berry.

Sehwag also opens in Wisden's 2009 Test XI, led by his India captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni in a side also containing five players who featured in the 2009 Ashes.

But Australia captain Ricky Ponting, England batsman Kevin Pietersen and South Africa skipper Graeme Smith were among those 'dropped' from the Wisden XI.

This year marks the 147th edition of Wisden which has been published continuously since 1864.