Player of the match

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Man of the match
Player of the match Marin Sego Team Croatia Handball World Championship 2019 Player of the Match (47875936901).jpg
Player of the match

In team sport, a player of the match award (also known as man of the match or woman of the match) [1] [2] is often given to the most outstanding player in a particular match. This can be a player from either team, although the player is generally chosen from the winning team.

Contents

Some sports have unique traditions regarding these awards, and they are especially sought in championship or all-star games. In Australia, the term "best and fairest" is normally used, both for individual games and season-long awards. In some competitions, particularly in North America, the terms "most valuable player" (MVP) or "most outstanding player" are used. In ice hockey in North America, three players of the game, called the "three stars", are recognised.

In sports where playoffs are decided by series rather than individual games, such as professional basketball and baseball, MVP awards are commonly given for the series, and in ice hockey's NHL, for performance in the entire playoffs.

Association football

In football, the "man of the match" (MOTM) award goes typically (but not necessarily) a player on the winning side. Players who score a hat-trick, or goalkeepers who keep a clean sheet under pressure often get the award. Hat-trick scorers usually receive the match ball whether or not they are officially named player of the match.

The man of the match is often chosen by a television commentator or a sponsor. [3] However, not all competitions have an official player of the match award, so sometimes accolades are given by websites or newspapers instead. In the Premier League, for example, a player receives a small black and gold trophy for their player of the match performance. [4]

When given informally (for example, by a columnist), the MOTM may be "awarded" sardonically, for example to the referee if the writer believes he influenced the result due to perceived incompetence.

Australian rules football

In Australian rules football, the player of the game is often referred to as having been the "best on ground" (or "BOG"). Media outlets provide immediate, unofficial recognition that is largely honorary, often on a 5–4–3–2–1 or 3–2–1 voting basis.[ citation needed ] Officially, the AFL recognises the player of the game as being the player awarded the maximum three votes by umpires in the Brownlow Medal count at season's end. Exceptions are made during the season for certain reserved games such as the Western Derby, The ANZAC Day clash, QClash, and Showdown, where medallions are officially rewarded in presentations following the conclusion of the match. On the day of the AFL Grand Final, a player will be awarded the Norm Smith Medal as being the best on ground voted by an independent panel of Australian rules football experts. [5]

Cricket

In cricket, the man of the match award became a regular feature in Test matches in the mid-1980s. [6] The man of the match title is usually awarded to the player whose contribution is seen as the most critical in winning the game.

In one match held on 3 April 1996, the whole team from New Zealand was awarded the Men of the Match award. It was the first instance when a whole team was awarded it. [7] In a test match played between 15,16,17,18 January 1999 between South Africa vs West Indies, the whole South African team was awarded man of the match. [8]

In Test matches, Jacques Kallis holds the record for the highest number of awards won, with 23 in 166 matches played. [6] In ODIs, Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for the highest number of man of the match titles, with 62 awards in 463 matches played. [9] Tendulkar is followed by Sanath Jayasuriya, who, along with Ricky Ponting, also holds the record for the most Man of the Match titles as captain. [10] In the shortest form of the game, T20 Internationals, this record is held by Virat Kohli, who has won 15 awards in 115 matches.

Gaelic games

In the Gaelic games of hurling and Gaelic football, the "man of the match" (Irish : Laoch na hImeartha, [11] "hero of the game") is commonly awarded after important games. An unusual example was the 2008 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final, where the award was given to Brian Cody, the Kilkenny manager, rather than to a player. [12]

In the women's sports of camogie and ladies' Gaelic football, the term "player of the match" (Irish : Laoch na hImeartha, "hero of the game") is used instead. [13] [14] [15] [16]

Ice hockey

In North American ice hockey, the three players who perform best in the game, often either those who accumulate the most points or outstanding goaltenders, are usually designated the three stars of the game: the top-performing player is the "first star", and so on. This tradition originated in the 1930s as a promotion for a "Three Star" brand of gasoline. [17]

However, in international play (and outside North America), the three stars concept is rarely used. Instead, other leagues may issue awards to one player who performed best in the game.

Rugby football

Both codes of rugby, rugby league and rugby union, commonly have man of the match or player of the match awards. In televised or sponsored matches, a commentator or sponsor often decides who gets the award, and it is presented to the winner after the match.

Examples of man of the match awards in professional men's rugby league are the Clive Churchill Medal in the National Rugby League Grand Final, the Karyn Murphy Medal in the NRL Women's Grand Final, the Lance Todd Trophy in the Challenge Cup final and the Harry Sunderland Trophy in the Super League Grand Final.

College basketball and college football

In college basketball and college football, the two collegiate sports with the most television coverage in the United States, a top player from each team is usually honoured as "players of the game." These athletes usually cannot collect material prizes due to NCAA regulations. Instead, television companies broadcasting the game or corporate sponsors will often make donations to the scholarship funds of each school in the names of the winning players.[ citation needed ]

In college basketball's Final Four events, a Most Outstanding Player award is given, for performance across both the semi-final and championship game. A Most Outstanding Player award is also given for each of the four regionals, based upon performances in the regional semifinals (Sweet Sixteen) and final (Elite Eight).

Gridiron football

The National Football League names an MVP for two prominent games on its schedule:

Individual games typically have an informal player (or players) of the game chosen by the broadcast network covering the game; one prominent example of this phenomenon is the Turkey Leg Award, All-Iron Award and Galloping Gobbler trophies awarded for games held on Thanksgiving.

The Canadian Football League awards two MVP awards for its championship game, the Grey Cup. The Grey Cup Most Valuable Player award is open to all players; the Dick Suderman Trophy is limited to players with Canadian citizenship or who were raised in Canada since childhood.

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gaelic football</span> Irish team sport, form of football

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Most valuable player</span> List of sports-related pages with the same or similar names

In team sports, a most valuable player award is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particular competition, or on a specific team. The purpose of the award is to recognize the contribution of the individual's efforts amongst a group effort, and to highlight the excellence, exemplariness, and/or outstandingness of a player's performance amidst the performance of their peers in question.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award</span> Award presented during the NFLs championship game

The Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, or Super Bowl MVP, is presented annually to the most valuable player of the Super Bowl, the National Football League's (NFL) championship game. The winner is chosen by a panel of 16 football writers and broadcasters, and, since Super Bowl XXXV in 2001, fans voting electronically. The media panel's ballots count for 80 percent of the vote tally, while the viewers' ballots make up the other 20 percent. The game's viewing audience can vote on the Internet or by using cellular phones; Media voters are asked to vote with about five minutes remaining in the game, but are allowed to change their mind when the game ends. They can nominate one player from each team, with instructions to count their vote for the player on the winning team. Voters cannot select an entire unit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peyton Manning</span> American football player (born 1976)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ejection (sports)</span> Removal of a participant due to a rules violation

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In Australian sport, the best and fairest award recognises the player(s) adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or competition. The awards are sometimes dependent on not receiving a suspension for misconduct or breaching the rules during that season. It is similar to most valuable player (MVP) awards in other team sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penalty card</span> Card shown for misconduct in sports

Penalty cards are used in many sports as a means of warning, reprimanding or penalising a player, coach or team official. Penalty cards are most commonly used by referees or umpires to indicate that a player has committed an offence. The official will hold the card above their head while looking or pointing toward the player who has committed the offence. This action makes the decision clear to all players, as well as spectators and other officials in a manner that is language-neutral. The colour or shape of the card used by the official indicates the type or seriousness of the offence and the level of punishment that is to be applied. Yellow and red cards are the most common, typically indicating, respectively, cautions and dismissals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Mexico Bowl</span> NCAA-sanctioned post-season college football bowl game

The New Mexico Bowl is an NCAA-sanctioned post-season college football bowl game that has been played annually since 2006 at University Stadium, on the campus of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Owned and operated by ESPN Events, it has typically been scheduled as one of the first games of the bowl season. The bowl has tie-ins with Conference USA and the Mountain West Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alabama Crimson Tide football</span> University of Alabama Football Team

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paras Khadka</span> Secretary of Cricket Association of Nepal

Paras Khadka is a Nepalese former cricketer who is the current Secretary of Cricket Association of Nepal and President of Bagmati Province Cricket Association. He captained the Nepalese cricket team from 2008 to 2019. An all-rounder, Khadka was a right-handed batsman, and a right-arm medium-fast as well as an off-break bowler. He made his debut against Malaysia in April 2004. Khadka played in Nepal's inaugural One Day International (ODI) match, against the Netherlands, in August 2018. He is often considered as the greatest cricketers of Nepal.

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In the sport of cricket, a Man of the Match or Player of the Match award is given to an outstanding player, almost always the one who makes the most impact in the match. The term was originally used in cricket before being adopted by other sports. The award will usually be given to a player from the winning team, but if a team has lost but a player from the losing team has had an incredible performance then he can also be named as Man of the Match.

References

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