Nominations for the ICC’s Men’s Player of the Month award for July 2023:

1. Zak Crawley (England):
Zak Crawley stands as a prime example of England’s transformed batting approach, thriving at the top of the order. During the recently-concluded Ashes, he emerged as England’s highest run-scorer, even excelling against the new ball. His remarkable performances in July included a notable 189 (182) at Old Trafford, complemented by scores of 33 and 44 at Headingley, along with innings of 22 and 73, which contributed to England’s 2-2 series draw and earned crucial World Test Championship points for the 2023-2025 cycle. Throughout the month, Crawley amassed an impressive total of 412 runs at an average of 58.85.

2. Chris Woakes (England):
Chris Woakes played a pivotal role in England’s fortunes during the crucial third Ashes Test at Headingley. As a bowling all-rounder, he made a significant impact by removing Marnus Labuschagne early on the first morning and subsequently dismissing Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh, restricting Australia to 263 runs. Woakes continued his brilliance by taking three more wickets in Australia’s second innings of 224 and then scoring the winning runs alongside Mark Wood in an unbeaten 32*. Additionally, he claimed five wickets in the first innings in Manchester and a total of seven wickets in the final Test, contributing to England’s 2-2 series draw. His bowling average for the month was an impressive 18.15. Despite playing in only three of the five Test matches, Woakes was honored with the Ashes 2023 Player of the Series award.

3. Bas de Leede (Netherlands):
Bas de Leede delivered a sensational performance in men’s ODIs, earning the Netherlands a coveted spot in the Cricket World Cup. In a high-stakes match against Scotland in Bulawayo, the 23-year-old displayed extraordinary talent, claiming five wickets for just 52 runs and delivering a remarkable century, scoring 123 runs. His exceptional feat of achieving the five-wicket/century double placed him in an exclusive list of just five players in the history of ODI cricket, joining the likes of Viv Richards, Paul Collingwood, Rohan Mustafa, and Amelia Kerr. In another match in July, de Leede contributed with 39 runs against Oman, further establishing himself as a formidable all-rounder ahead of the Cricket World Cup scheduled for October and November.

Crawley and Joe Root, who contributed 84 runs, formed a remarkable partnership of 206 runs in just 29 overs. Before that, Crawley and Moeen Ali (54) had already built a strong foundation with a 121-run partnership for the second wicket.

The England team displayed aggressive and rapid run-scoring, reaching 61/1 off 16 overs by lunch after an early wicket. However, they surged to 239/2 by tea, adding an astonishing 178 runs in just 25 overs during the second session. Crawley’s exceptional innings saw him become the sixth England batsman to score a hundred runs in a session of an Ashes Test.

With the threat of rain looming over the weekend, England’s quick scoring provided an insurance policy to bolster their chances of a victory. Crawley was closing in on a double century, having previously scored a massive 267 against Pakistan three years ago. However, he was eventually dismissed by Cameron Green, finishing with an impressive 189 runs off 182 deliveries, including 21 fours and three sixes.

England encountered some hiccups when Root was bowled for 84, and Stokes suffered a blow to the helmet from a Hazlewood delivery. Australia’s concerns increased as Starc left the field due to a shoulder injury while making a diving stop at mid-on.

Both Crawley and Moeen had their share of luck against Australia’s pace attack. Moeen, who completed the Test “double” of 3,000 runs and 200 wickets, survived some close calls before being dismissed for 54. Crawley’s aggressive batting style earned him a quickfire century in just 93 balls.

Australia’s innings had ended earlier at 317, with Chris Woakes taking five wickets for 62 runs, securing his first five-wicket Ashes haul.