Annabel Sutherland: ICC Women’s Player of the Month for February 2024
Annabel Sutherland, the Australian cricket sensation, has been named the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for February 2024. She is the fifth Australian to receive this prestigious award, following in the footsteps of Alyssa Healy, Rachael Haynes, Tahlia McGrath, and Ashleigh Gardner.
With an impressive tally of 229 runs and seven wickets in just four matches in February 2024, Sutherland outshone her competitors, Esha Oza and Kavisha Egodage from the UAE, to secure the coveted title.
A tweet showcasing her maiden double century, which bolstered Australia’s position in Perth, can be seen here: #AUSvSA pic.twitter.com/io6BJPsy21
The 22-year-old expressed her delight at receiving her first Player of the Month award, stating, “It’s a massive honour to be named the Player of the Month and a nice way to cap off a successful home summer for the team. Test cricket is always a highlight and to have been able to contribute toward winning that match was really special.”
Sutherland’s double century in the one-off Test against South Africa rewrote the history books. Prior to the Test series, she played a pivotal role in Australia’s ODI series victory, contributing with both bat and ball.
Her shift to the Test format was equally successful. Australia dismissed South Africa for a mere 76 runs, with Sutherland’s medium-fast pace dismantling the Proteas’ middle order.
Her bowling success was followed by an extraordinary batting performance, where she set a new record for the fastest double century in Women’s cricket. She joined an elite group as the ninth woman and fifth Australian to score a double hundred in a Test. At 22, she is the second youngest double centurion in Test cricket, behind only Mithali Raj.
Despite falling just three runs short of Ellyse Perry’s record 213*, Sutherland’s performance was instrumental in Australia’s massive win by an innings and 284 runs. For her all-round performance, Sutherland was the undisputed choice for Player of the Match.