Ben Foakes has been named one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year for 2023.
Every year, five cricketers are honoured by the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack for their influence on the English home season. It is an accolade that players can only win once in their career.
Foakes returned to the England side during the tour of the West Indies in March 2022, making an important 42 in his first knock back in the team. With New Zealand visiting England, Foakes made 32* to support a match-winning century from Joe Root in the fourth innings at Lord’s. After a half-century in the first innings, Foakes was once again there at the end of the second Test at Trent Bridge after Jonny Bairstow’s pyrotechnics had set the team on the path to victory.
South Africa were the next touring side and at Old Trafford Foakes made his second Test century, his first at home, as a dominant first innings set up an innings victory. Foakes, widely regarded as the best gloveman in the world, reached 26 dismissals behind the stumps over the six home Test matches in 2022.
In Surrey colours, Foakes excelled once again. He scored 586 runs at an average of just over 73 including a century at Edgbaston in the first game of the season. He played a vital role in Surrey’s thrilling final over victory against Yorkshire at Scarborough, with 86* in the first innings and 42* to see Surrey home.
With the gloves, Foakes had 45 dismissals from nine matches, the highest dismissals per match for a regular Surrey wicket-keeper in a season. Foakes’ summer finished with silverware as he lifted the LV=Insurance County Championship Trophy at Old Trafford.
