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Photos of the year Different strokes for different blokes 
Kevin Pietersen was a dominant figure in England's home series wins this summer, with 707 runs at 58.91. Highlights include 158 at Lord's, 142 (above) at Edgbaston, and 135 at Leeds © Getty Images . This image may not be reproduced without specific consent from Getty Images 
Paul Collingwood's 186 against Pakistan at Lords helped England to 528 for 9. The match ended in a high-scoring draw, but Collingwood set the tone for the four-match contest with a gutsy innings © Getty Images . This image may not be reproduced without specific consent from Getty Images 
During his epic 374 that spanned three days and 572 deliveries, Jayawardene did not offer South Africa's fielders a single chance… even as he tried his hand at a cheeky reverse-sweep © AFP 
At the other end, for approximately 11 hours, Kumar Sangakkara, who contributed 287 in a world-record stand of 624 runs © AFP 
Two weeks after he managed just seven runs in his 100th Test, Stephen Fleming made the most emphatic of amends, producing a defiant captain's innings of 262 at Newlands © Getty Images . This image may not be reproduced without specific consent from Getty Images 
Herschelle Gibbs's astonishing 175, in that match at Johannesburg, was his crowning glory. He needed just 79 balls for his century, and when he left, the stadium stood in acclaim... © Getty Images . This image may not be reproduced without specific consent from Getty Images 
...but when Mark Boucher, with the most important 50 of his life, sealed the impossible with one ball left, it exploded in a tumultuous roar heard the world over © Getty Images . This image may not be reproduced without specific consent from Getty Images 
Before he dropped his retirement bomb at the end of the year, Damien Martyn scored a classy 101 against South Africa back in April that did plenty to erase some of the pain of 1993-94 © Getty Images . This image may not be reproduced without specific consent from Getty Images 
On his 31st birthday, Jason Gillespie celebrated his second coming, in the unlikely environs of Chittagong, with a remarkable unbeaten double-century © Getty Images . This image may not be reproduced without specific consent from Getty Images 
Mohammad Yousuf began the year by narrowly missing a hat-trick of hundreds against India, but opened the series against England with 202 at Lord's and finished the series with 631 runs at 90.14 © Getty Images . This image may not be reproduced without specific consent from Getty Images 
The nature of Ricky Ponting's hundreds in 2006 elevated him to another plane. Rounding off the year with two Ashes hundreds, Ponting has a series average of 88.50 with another Test to go © Getty Images . This image may not be reproduced without specific consent from Getty Images 
Kamran Akmal rescued Pakistan from 39 for 6 with a magnificent century on the opening day of the final Test against India at Karachi. It was a match-winning effort, by all means © AFP 
Before he hit a rough phase in the second half of the year, Mahendra Singh Dhoni smashed 219 runs in four innings in India's 4-1 ODI series win over Pakistan © AFP 
Alastair Cook's scored 60 and 104 on his Test debut at Nagpur. Given the venue, the opposition and the strength-sapping heat, not to mention Cook's youth, this was in a class of its own © AFP 
David kicks Goliath where it hurts: Shahriar Nafees's brilliant maiden Test hundred gave Australia a rude awakening and Bangladesh their most promising start to a Test match on day one at Fatullah © AFP 
Faced with the daunting task of scoring 17 off the final over at Harare, Brendan Taylor smoked Mashrafe Mortaza for two sixes - the second off the final ball with five to win © AFP 
Chris Gayle scored three hundreds in the Champions Trophy, including the breathtaking, unbeaten 133 against South Africa in the semi-finals © Getty Images . This image may not be reproduced without specific consent from Getty Images 
Brian Lara's ninth double century, a glorious 216 - which comprised a 77-ball century in the opening session on day three - stunned Pakistan at Multan © AFP 
Collingwood bettered his Lord's effort and closed a 70-year double-century drought for England Down Under when he became the first since Wally Hammond to achieve the milestone © Getty Images . This image may not be reproduced without specific consent from Getty Images 
Australia regained the Ashes on December 18, but the 16th was a pretty good day as well. Michael Hussey continued his excellent form with a measured 103... © Getty Images . This image may not be reproduced without specific consent from Getty Images 
...Michael Clarke chipped in with his second hundred of the series... © Getty Images . This image may not be reproduced without specific consent from Getty Images 
...and their outstanding knocks meant Adam Gilchrist was able to play without inhibition, carving the second-fastest Test century, off just 57 balls, as Australia declared on 527 for 5 © Getty Images . This image may not be reproduced without specific consent from Getty Images 
Jayawardene had to scramble down the pitch to get to his hundred at Lord's, but otherwise he was at his best as he struck a brilliant century as the first Test was saved © Getty Images . This image may not be reproduced without specific consent from Getty Images 
Rahul Dravid's twin half-centuries on a minefield of a pitch in Jamaica guided India to its Holy Grail - a Test series victory abroad against a credible opposition after 20 years © AFP 
With 102 and 124 at Karachi, Yousuf finished 2006 with an aggregate of 1788, beating Viv Richards's tally of 1710 quite handily to wrest the record of most number of runs in a calendar year © AFP |
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