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London - South Africa's successful tour of England in 2012 saw three of their star players - batsman Hashim Amla, all-rounder Jacques Kallis and fast bowler Dale Steyn - named among Wisden's five Cricketers of the Year.
An award that by tradition can only be won once by a player in their career, the honour - which is the editor's choice alone - primarily but not exclusively reflects performances in the previous English season.
South Africa won a three-match series 2-0 with Amla becoming the first South African to score a Test triple hundred in their triumph at The Oval and going on to top score in eight international innings out of 11 on tour.
Kallis, the pre-eminent all-rounder of his generation, made 182 at The Oval while still bowling at genuinely sharp pace.
If Kallis is regarded as the best all-rounder now in the game, Steyn has the same status as a fast bowler with the Proteas' spearhead's career statistics standing comparison with some of the greatest quicks the game has known.
He overpowered England at The Oval and then starred again when South Africa took the series at Lord's to replace their hosts as the world's top Test side.
The other two winners of this year's award were England batsman Nick Compton, who was honoured for his county exploits with Somerset, and West Indies' Marlon Samuels.
Compton joins his celebrated grandfather and England batting great Denis, who earned the accolade in 1939.
Meanwhile Australia captain Michael Clarke was named leading cricketer in the world after a 2012 aggregate of 1 595 runs, including a score of 329 not out against India in Sydney.
That innings - just shy of the
Australian Test record of 334 held jointly by Don Bradman and Mark
Taylor - ended as a result of Clarke's own declaration.
