December’s ICC Player of the Month Nominees

Pace bowlers Mitchell Starc of Australia and Jacob Duffy of New Zealand along with all-rounder Justin Greaves of the West Indies are in line for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for December while India opener Shafali Verma joins the South African pair of Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus in the women’s shortlist.

Left-arm pacer Starc makes it on the back of grabbing 16 wickets in three Ashes Tests during the period apart from also chipping in with the bat. Duffy’s Player of the Series effort of 23 wickets in the three-Test series against the West Indies brings him into contention while Greaves’ all-round effort studded with a double-century makes him a worthy candidate.

Men’s shortlist

Mitchell Starc (Australia)

Starc grabbed 16 wickets at an average of 21.25 during the period while also scoring 139 runs. The highlight for him was a Player of the Match effort in the second Ashes Test in Brisbane, where he finished with eight wickets and knocked up a score of 77. He also chipped in with a useful 54 in the series-deciding Test in Adelaide.

Jacob Duffy (New Zealand)

Duffy finished with an impressive 23 wickets at an average of 15.43 as New Zealand won the three-match series 2-0. He was the leading wicket-taker in the series and named the Player of the Series. He also contributed 42 runs with the bat.

Justin Greaves (West Indies)

An unbeaten 202 in the first Test against New Zealand in Christchurch was the highlight for Greaves during this period, when he accumulated 283 runs from three Tests at an average of 56.60. He also grabbed five wickets at an average of 48.80.

Women’s shortlist

Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa)

The South African captain amassed 255 runs at a strike-rate of 111.84 in three ODIs in their home series against Ireland while also scoring 137 runs in two T20Is at an astounding strike rate of 190.27. She struck 115 not out in the first T20I and was then named Player of the Series in the ODIs that followed, striking 124 and 100 not out in the last two matches.

Sune Luus (South Africa)

The former South Africa captain scored 205 runs and bagged four wickets in three ODIs during this period while her performance in the two T20Is boasted 118 runs and four wickets. She took four for 22 in the first T20I against Ireland and struck 66 not out and 114 in the first two ODIs.

Shafali Verma (India)

The hard-hitting India opener aggregated 241 runs at a strike-rate of 181.20 in five T20Is at home against Sri Lanka. She was named Player of the Series with three fifties, as India won the series 3-0.