- Dec 2, 2024
- Jun 16, 2023
The all-rounders are trump cards in any format and they can turn the game on their head with bat and ball. As for the nominees for the Player of the Month for August month, the Cricket Governing Body has shortlisted three cricketers. Let us take a look at all the three of them.
The England Test captain, Ben Stokes played a crucial role in his side’s comeback in the ongoing series at home against South Africa. In the second Test at Manchester, Stokes bowled beautifully and put the brakes on the South African middle-order, picking the wickets of Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen as the visitors were knocked over for 151.
He followed it up with a superb ton that came when England were in a spot of bother after having lost early wickets on day two. His knock of 103 had six fours and three sixes, helping his side attain a massive lead of 264. In the second innings, Stokes broke the stubborn 87-run stand between Rassie and Keegan Petersen.
He accounted for both their wickets in a quick span to set up an innings win and level the series 1-1. Before that, in the first Test, Stokes scored a crucial 40 runs in total and also got three scalps but that wasn’t enough to stop England from getting to an innings defeat at Lord’s.
2. Sikandar Raza from Zimbabwe
Sikandar Raza has enjoyed a tremendous 2022 and the month of August was no different. Going head-to-head against Asian giants India and Bangladesh, Raza notched up three centuries against the formidable Asian sides. All three tons came when Zimbabwe looked in trouble before he came to the rescue. He lead them to victory twice against Bangladesh and almost pulled one off against India.
In the first ODI against Bangladesh, Zimbabwe were 62/3 in pursuit of 304 when Raza and Innocent Kaia stitched a massive 192-run stand for the fourth wicket. He was the aggressor of the two and batted till the end. Raza played an unbeaten knock of 135 off 109 balls as Zimbabwe scripted a memorable win over the Tigers.
Raza almost pulled it off in the 3rd ODI against India as well but he found little support from the other end. Chasing 290, he was at the crease almost till the end, The 95-ball 115 went in vain as India got victory from the jaws of defeat to complete a 3-0 rout.
3. Mitchell Santner from New Zealand
New Zealand all-rounder, Mitchell Santner enjoyed a brilliant August 2022 both with the bat and ball in hand and played a crucial role in the Black Caps’ six wins out of eight. After a quite showing in the first game of the series against the Netherlands, Santner, the skipper for the series, got himself up the order to no.3 in the second T20I and smashed a 42-ball 77* as New Zealand chased down 150 with six overs to spare.
The star all-rounder carried his form over in the West Indies as he picked up three wickets each in the first two T20Is to help wrap up the series with a game to spare. In the first two ODIs, Santner played two handy knocks with the bat. He picked up two wickets in the final ODI and was adjudged the Player of the Series for his all-round exploits.