ICC Shortlists Gardner, Bouchier, Kerr As ICC Women's Player Of The Month Contenders For March

Dubai [UAE]: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday announced that they have shortlisted three outstanding players for the ICC Women's Player of the Month award for March.

Australia's star all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner, England's middle-order batter Maia Bouchier and New Zealand's Amelia Kerr have been nominated for the March award.

Australia's great all-rounder has already won the ICC Women's Player of the Month award four times, and she has been nominated again. Gardner played in Australia's ODI series against Bangladesh near the end of the month, following her Women's Premier League (WPL) performance.

She scored 52 runs while being the pick of the bowlers across the two sides, with eight wickets at an average of 8.62. In the first ODI, she played a gutsy knock of 32 to help Australia to 213 on a slow wicket in Mirpur. This was followed by an impeccable spell of 3/22, which helped the tourists to a big win.

On the other hand, England's middle-order batter Bouchier has enjoyed her move to the top of the order in recent times. This reflected best in the recently concluded T20I series against New Zealand, where Bouchier led the scoring charts with 223 runs at 55.75.

She also scored her career-high 91 in the fourth T20I. Her knock comprised 12 fours and two sixes, propelling England to 177. Before losing her wicket to Amelia Kerr, the batter appeared to be on her way to a century. This was the greatest score by a visiting player in a women's Twenty20 International against New Zealand.

Meanwhile, New Zealand's Amelia Kerr has already won the Player of the Month title (February 2022) and hopes to repeat the feat this time.

The Kiwi all-rounder was one of the top three run scorers in the just finished series against England, with 114 runs from four innings, and the second best wicket-taker with six scalps in four games.