England All-rounder Chris Woakes Bags ICC Men's Player Of The Month Award For July 2023

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced England fast bowler Chris Woakes as the Men’s Player of the Month for July this year. Chris Woakes was rewarded for his outstanding performances with both bat and ball in the recent Ashes series against Australia.

Chris Woakes made an impact with the ball in the Test series against Australia, despite not being picked in the first two games. The right-arm pacer picked up 18 wickets in three matches at an impressive average of 18.16. He registered the best figures of 5/61 in the fourth Test.

Great To Have So Much Support – Chris Woakes

The 34-year-old expressed his delight at being named Men’s Player of the Month, acknowledging the collective team effort in the Ashes series.

“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,” said Woakes.

“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,” he added.

Woakes also made significant contributions with the bat in the five-match series, scoring 79 runs with an average of 19.75. He played a crucial knock of 32* and formed a vital partnership with Mark Wood to help the team win the third Test. He scored 36 runs in the first innings of the final Test.

Chris Woakes was nominated for the award along with his teammate Zak Crawley and Dutch cricketer Bas de Leede. Crawley scored 480 runs in five Tests with an impressive average of 53.33 and a strike rate of 88.72 in the Ashes 2023. He smashed 189 runs off 182 balls in the fourth Test.

Bas de Leede was a standout performer for the Netherlands during the Qualifiers, helping the team secure a berth in the World Cup 2023. He was the third-highest wicket-taker, claiming an impressive 15 wickets. He amassed 285 runs at an average of 47.50 and a strike rate of 101.06.

Also read: AUS vs ENG: Turned Down IPL Offer To Play The Ashes – Chris Woakes