Greaves, Matthews sweep ICC monthly honours

Justin Greaves. (Photo credit: Cricinfo) Barbados has produced both of the ICC’s Players of the Month for July, with Justin Greaves securing his first award and Hayley Matthews extending her record with a fifth. The two West Indies all-rounders completed a historic double, marking the first time Caribbean players have won both the men’s and women’s awards in the same month since the honours were introduced in January 2021. Greaves earned the men’s award following standout Test performances against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, beating England captain Harry Brook and Bangladesh opener Tanzid Hasan. Hayley Matthews. (Getty Images) The Barbadian played a major role in securing a series victory over Sri Lanka, scoring 180 in the second Test at North Sound after the visitors had piled up 549 for nine. He then made his presence felt with the ball against Pakistan in Trinidad, taking five for 27 and two for 12 as West Indies recorded a 90-run victory in the opening Test. “I have had a memorable month playing at home, and to have contributed with both bat and ball against Sri Lanka and Pakistan has been particularly special for me,” Greaves said. You Might Be Interested In “Having impactful performances in Test cricket is always something I will cherish, especially when they come in front of our home fans.” Matthews, meanwhile, continued her dominance of the women’s monthly award following an outstanding ODI series against Ireland. The West Indies captain struck centuries in the opening two matches and amassed 265 runs at an average of 132.50 and strike rate of 117.25 as the Caribbean side swept the three-match series. She was equally effective with the ball, taking seven wickets at an average of 17.57 and claiming at least two wickets in each match. Matthews edged England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and Sri Lanka’s Harshitha Samarawickrama to secure her record fifth Player of the Month award. “I am thrilled to win the ICC Player of the Month award once again. It is just as special as the previous ones, and I hope it inspires me to keep raising my standards, contributing to the West Indies, and winning more such awards in the future,” she said. The West Indies double is only the fifth time players representing the same country or team have captured both monthly awards. Prime Minister Mia Mottley joined in congratulating the two Barbadians, noting that the ICC represents 111 members across the cricketing world. “Sport is culture. It is national identity. It tells the world who we are,” she said in a social media post. “Our size has never been the measure of our strength, nor the limit of our influence.” (ICC/BT)