Bairstow, Kapp named ICC Players of the Month (June 2022)
The International Cricket Council (ICC) voted England batter Jonny Bairstow the Men's Player of the Month for June 2022. Bairstow recently helped England rout New Zealand 3-0 in the three-match Test series. Meanwhile, South Africa's Marizanne Kapp has been voted the ICC Women's Player of the Month. Kapp won ahead of fellow South African Shabnim Ismail and England batter Nat Sciver.
Bairstow struck at 120.12 against New Zealand
Bairstow aggregated 394 runs across three Tests at a strike rate of 120.12. As per ESPNcricinfo, it is the highest for any batter to have faced over 300 balls in a series. Notably, Bairstow scored just 25 runs in his first three innings. He then slammed the second-fastest Test fifty (Leeds), second-fastest Test century (Nottingham), and second-fastest Test 150 (Leeds) for England.
His incredible Test numbers in 2022
Bairstow now has the most number of Test runs in 2022. He has racked up 994 runs from eight matches at an astonishing average of 76.46. The right-handed batter has struck at a phenomenal 76.22. His tally includes a total of six centuries and one fifty. Interestingly, Bairstow had slammed as many centuries in his first 79 Tests.
ICC Test Batting Rankings: Bairstow entered the top 10
Bairstow recently entered the top 10 of the ICC Test Batting Rankings. He slammed twin-centuries in England's seven-wicket win over India in the Edgbaston Test. Bairstow was adjudged the Player of the Match after scoring 106 and 114 across two innings.
A scintillating knock in the one-off Test
Kapp registered scores of 150(213) and 43*(58) in the one-off Test against England. She bashed a total of 34 fours. Playing only her second Test, Kapp cracked her maiden ton in whites, including a 72-run stand alongside Anne Bosch for the sixth wicket. The all-rounder now has 212 Test runs at 70.66. Versus England, Kapp now has 193 runs while averaging a prolific 193.00.
Kapp attains this feat
Kapp has become the first South African woman to win the ICC Women's Player of the Month award since Lizelle Lee, who recently announced retirement. The latter was awarded the same in March 2021.
Kapp outclassed Ismail and Sciver
As stated, Kapp outclassed Ismail and Sciver to win the award. "It really means a lot for me to win the award, especially being up against two absolutely brilliant players in Shabnim Ismail and Nat Sciver," said Kapp in a statement. "What made my first Test century so special was that, number one, our first Test match (in 2014) was an absolute nightmare."
