Blackwell Closes MVP Gap But Tres' Still Leads
Marcus Trescothick remains top of the overall MVP after scoring 73 against Sussex at Taunton but Ian Blackwell has closed to within 55 points of the Somerset opener courtesy of 53 and 3-44 in the Champions' victory over Warwickshire at the Riverside.
Trescothick, such an integral part of the Ashes win of 2005 and whose possible selection was much discussed prior to this week's Oval triumph, continues to make county bowlers suffer. His seventh fifty of the championship campaign - he's also scored six centuries - was a circumspect affair from 171 balls but he took the early sting out of a Sussex team who had just racked up 742. Trescothick is the leading run-scorer in this year's domestic game with 2391 runs, 1403 of which have come in the championship (LV=CC), where he is ranked second.
Blackwell leads the LV=CC MVP having contributed yet again with both bat and ball. The left-arm spinner and powerful ball striker has now scored 1135 runs and taken 53 wickets across all forms but it is his form in the championship, where he has scored 707 runs and taken 30 wickets, which has been such a key factor in Durham's strong defence of their title. Blackwell is one of six Durham players in the top 18 of the LV=CC MVP and has contributed significantly in the majority of their seven victories.
Craig Kieswetter took advantage of Taunton's batting paradise to post his third hundred of the LV=CC campaign, his first since April. The Somerset gloveman notched 135 from 175 balls as he smashed Somerset back into the match against Sussex. He has now scored 1571 runs, taken 51 catches and contributed 12 stumpings across all forms, which sees him in third spot in the overall MVP.
Michael Carberry has hardly gone off the boil but after his run of three hundreds and a double hundred in four games, 86 and 70 in his last two knocks might seem a trifle disappointing. The prolific Hampshire batsman, who lies fourth overall, has scored a whopping 1989 runs across all forms, 1251 of which have come in the LV=CC, where he is ranked fifth.
Mike Yardy, the Sussex captain is down to fifth following a quiet week but Sean Ervine, the Hampshire all-rounder has bounced up to sixth after his third LV=CC hundred of the summer (104) against Notts at Basingstoke. Ervine has contributed 1302 runs and taken 32 wickets overall, 703 and 10 of which have come in the LV=CC.
Ed Joyce, who was crowned Friends Provident Trophy MVP earlier in the summer and who has played 40 matches this season, more than any other player in the top 100, is up to seventh overall. Joyce is ranked second in the Natwest Pro40 having cracked three fifties in four matches, which has helped take his overall run tally to 1777.
James Tredwell, this summer's leading wicket taker is eighth, Jon Lewis ninth, while in the most successful week of his cricketing life, Jonathan Trott drops to tenth. We're guessing he doesn't mind one bit.
Leading Run-scorers
1. Marcus Trescothick 2391
2. Michael Carberry 1989
3. Jonathan Trott 1961 (160 for England)
4. Mark Ramprakash 1926
5. Ed Joyce 1777
6. Jacques Rudolph 1686
7. Martin van Jaarsveld 1679
8. Michael Lumb 1586
9. Craig Kieswetter 1571
10. Dale Benkenstein 1493
Leading Wicket-takers
1. James Tredwell 80
2. Steve Kirby 74
3. Alfonso Thomas, Jon Lewis 73
5. Danish Kaneria 70
6. Graham Onions 68 (20 for England)
7. Saj Mahmood 59
8. Gary Keedy 58
9. Charl Willoughby 56
10. David Masters 54
Rankings Bulletins
MVP Goes Amateur!
Fans of the PCA's groundbreaking Most Valuable Player system will be delighted to hear that MVP is being rolled out to all amateur cricketers! That's right, clubs and schools around the world will now be able to sign up for the professional MVP treatment, thanks to a brand new web portal in a joint initiative between the ECB and PCA.
No more arguing about who is the best player on your team - the MVP formula, designed by the pros for the pros, delivers a cumulative points system that rewards every run scored, wicket taken and catch held. All your scorecard information will be processed to determine who is grinding out the match winning performances...and who is full of hot air. Please visit at http://www.mycricketmvp.com/ for all the details.
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