England all-rounder Chris Woakes has been named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for July 2023, the 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Tuesday.
Likewise, Australia's star all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner has been named the ICC Woman’s Player of the Month for July 2023.
Gardner and Woakes emerged victorious from votes gathered from global fans registered at ICC-cricket.com and a specialist panel comprising ICC Hall of Famers, former international players, and media representatives.
England’s pacer Woakes beat compatriot Zak Crawley and Netherlands’ Bas de Leede to claim the honor.
Woakes bagged the Player-of-the-Match at the Oval in the final Ashes Test in July and was also named the Player-of-the-Series for his 19 wickets in three matches at an average of 18.15.
“It’s very nice to have been voted ICC Men’s Player of the Month for July. Everything we did in the Ashes was a team effort, and no individual awards would be possible without everyone else doing their job but it’s always nice to be recognised, especially when it’s a public vote.
It was a great series, and I’m just very happy that it captured the imagination and attention of the public so much.
It was great to have so much support and it was a hugely enjoyable series to play in,” Woakes said.
Chris Woakes was not a part of the XI for the first two matches and England trailed 2-0 heading into the third Test in Headingly.
To stay alive in the series, England needed the incoming players to make an instant impact and Woakes did just that.
In his return to Test cricket after more than a year, Woakes picked up three wickets in each innings, including the big scalps of Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja. More importantly, he chipped in with a crucial 32* in a thrilling chase where he fittingly hit the winning runs to keep England alive in the series.
Woakes finished the series on a high, bagging both the Player of the Match in the final Test at The Oval. Before wreaking havoc with the ball again, the 34-year-old scored a vital run-a-ball 36 in the first innings.
He went on to pick up seven wickets with the ball as England managed to level the series in dramatic fashion.
In the women cricketers, Australia's star all-rounder becomes the first-ever player – male or female – to win the ICC Player of the Month Award in consecutive months.
There's no stopping Ashleigh Gardner at the moment after the Australian all-rounder won the ICC Women's Player of the Month for the second time running. This is the fourth time Gardner has won the coveted monthly award, beating fellow all-rounders Ellyse Perry and Nat Sciver-Brunt to the title.
“It’s a great honor to win the ICC Player of the Month for July and particularly to become the first player to win back-to-back awards," said Gardner on her achievement.