Cricket World Player of the Week - Neil Broom

For recording scores of 109 and 97 in the final two One-Day Internationals against Bangladesh and leading New Zealand to 3-0 series whitewash, Black Caps batsman Neil Broom is the Cricket World Player of the Week.

The 33-year-old was recalled into the side after a gap of six years and he made it one of the most memorable comeback.

In the second game in Nelson, New Zealand were in deep trouble at 47 for three. Broom had two decisive partnerships of 51 with James Neesham and another 64 runs with Luke Ronchi to take New Zealand out of the woods and help them post 251. In the process he scored his maiden ODI century in an innings where the next highest score was 35. Bangladesh could manage only 184 in response.

In the third game of the series at the same venue, New Zealand lost Tom Latham and Martin Guptill (retired hurt) early in a chase of 237 runs. However, Broom joined forces with skipper Kane Williamson and the duo shared a 179-run stand for the third wicket to put the Black Caps in course of a win with knocks of 97 and 95 not out respectively. Latham's 137 in the first game of the series in Christchurch was also a commendable effort.

Broom's closest competitors for the award was Azhar Ali, Stephen Cook and Australian duo of Steven Smith and David Warner.

In the first Test between South Africa and Sri Lanka in Port Elizabeth, Cook scored a vital 59 in the first innings under testing conditions. His contribution along with a 63 from JP Duminy was vital in South Africa posting 286 in their first innings despite a five-wicket haul from Suranga Lakmal.

In the second innings, though, he came with a superior performance where he slammed his third Test century while Faf du Plessis and Dean Elgar scored fifties as South Africa had set a target of 488 runs in the final innings for Sri Lanka.

A collective bowling effort from Proteas led by a five-wicket haul from Vernon Philander in the first innings helped the home team register a 206-run victory and take a 1-0 lead in the series.

The possibility of a team losing by an innings when one of their batsman scored a double century is very remote as seen in the second Test between Australia and Pakistan in Melbourne.

Under testing overcast conditions, Pakistan batsmen struggled after Misbah ul Haq won the toss and elected to bat first but Ali kept the fight going for the visitors with an unbeaten 205 and with support from Sohail Khan, who scored run-a-ball 65, they scored 443 for nine before the declaration came.

David Warner responded with a blistering 144-run knock which came off just 143 deliveries and had 17 boundaries and a six in it to help Australia erase the deficit earlier following which Steven Smith's 165 not out helped Australia take a 181-run first innings lead with Peter Handscomb and Mitchell Starc scoring fifties as well. Despite, losing a significant amount of play to rain, two sessions on the final day were enough for Australia to bowl out Pakistan and secure the innings victory.

There were some special performances in the Big Bash League 2016-17 tournament as well.

Despite Tim Paine and George Bailey scoring 91 and unbeaten 74, Hobart Hurricanes succumbed to a seven-wicket defeat against Melbourne Stars in the sixth match of the tournament after Rob Quiney and Glenn Maxwell slammed 75 and 58 not out.

Sydney Sixers' Sean Abbott and Hobart's Daniel Christian registered five wicket hauls, both against Adelaide Strikers though the former ended in the losing side.

The stand out performance, though, came from Brisbane Heat's Chris Lynn as he plundered two man of the match performances with an unbeaten 85 and 84 against Sydney Thunder and Hobart Hurricanes respectively. Brendon McCullum also chipped in with a 35-ball 72 in the second game.

Cameron White's unbeaten 64 for Melbourne Renegades and Brad Hogg's three-wicket haul for Melbourne Stars deserves special mention which came on the Melbourne derby clash.

That concludes the performances of the week.

© Cricket World 2017