Ashleigh Gardner becomes first ever Australia cricketer to win consecutive ICC POTM awards
Aug 15, 2023
Dubai [UAE], August 15 : Australia's Ashleigh Gardner became the first-ever Australian cricketer to clinch the ICC Player of the Month Award in consecutive months.
Gardner won the ICC POTM award for the month of July with her exceptional performances. This marked the fourth time Gardner has won the coveted monthly award, beating fellow all-rounders Ellyse Perry and Nat Sciver-Brunt to the title.
Gardner made vital contributions with the bat as well as the ball in the T20I leg of the Ashes. She scored 31 and 32 in the first and final match of the series but went wicketless in those games. In the second T20I, she claimed two wickets.
Moving on to the ODI series, Gardner made significant contributions in every game, showcasing her prowess with both bat and ball.
In each match, the 26-year-old picked up three wickets while also scoring a total of 95 runs across the ODI leg of the tour.
"It’s a great honour 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 as quoted by the ICC.
"It’s been a really hectic time over with the Women’s Ashes and the tour of Ireland and I’m really pleased with what the Australian team has achieved. From a personal perspective it's also been pleasing I’ve been able to put in a some really consistent performances with bat and ball over that period," Gardner added.
Gardner further went on to say that it feels nice to get awarded for hard work and she will now eye to perform in their upcoming series against West Indies and South Africa.
"As the Ashes showed the standard of women’s cricket is continually rising and the game is throwing up a lot of challenges. So, it is really nice to be rewarded for all the hard work we put in to meet the strong oppositions we’re now facing. I’m really looking forward to the coming summer with the West Indies and South Africa touring as well as linking back up with Sydney Sixers in the WBBL," Garnder signed off.
