Tuesday, June 28th, 2016

Leach Is Country’s Leading Wicket-Taker In T20 Blast

Leach Is Country’s Leading Wicket-Taker In T20 Blast

Worcestershire all-rounder Joe Leach is currently the leading wicket-taker in the country in the NatWest T20 Blast.

Leach is out on his own with 16 wickets from seven matches at an average of 14.50 and an economy rate of 8.81 runs per over.

He is three ahead of Durham's Paul Coughlin and Gloucestershire's Benny Howell who have 13 victims apiece.

Leach also continues to lead the way in the Professional Cricketers' Association Overall Most Valuable Player rankings for the 2016 campaign heading towards the start of July.

The number one spot is a reflection of Leach's excellent performances so far this season in all formats of the game.

In the Specsavers County Championship Leach has taken 28 wickets at 28.18 including five wickets in an innings twice.

This is in addition to crucial contributions with bat and ball in the Royal London One-Day Cup and skippering the side twice in Daryl Mitchell's absence through injury.

Leach finished 10th in the overall rankings last summer after taking 59 Championship wickets.

Brett D'Oliveira also continues to occupy a top 10 spot after his fine start to the 2016 season.

He has scored 571 Championship runs at an average of 57.10 and 210 T20 Blast runs at 52.10.

The PCA MVP is a cumulative points system that rewards players for every run scored, every wicket taken and every catch held – and, how well they do it.

A player achieves bonus points based in certain criteria.

Points are awarded for batting, bowling, fielding, captaincy and winning.

NATWEST T20 BLAST LEADING WICKET-TAKERS AND ECONOMY RATES

16 – JOE LEACH (WORCS) 8.81

13 – Paul Coughlin (Durham) 9.07

13 – Benny Howell (Gloucs) 7.14

11 – Dale Steyn (Glam) 6.11

11 – George Edwards (Lancs) 8.81

10 – Michael Hogan (Glam) 6.16

10 – Graham Napier (Essex) 7.88

10 – Ben Raine (Leics) 7.37

10 – Andrew Tye (Gloucs) 8.12

10 – Matthew Quinn (Essex) 9.16

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MVP OVERALL RANKINGS AND POINTS

JOE LEACH (WORCS) 245

Samit Patel (Notts) 239

Toby Roland-Jones (Middx) 231

Harry Gurney (Notts) 220

Ravi Bopara (Essex) 216

Scott Borthwick (Durham) 216

BRETT D'OLIVEIRA (WORCS) 216

Liam Dawson (Hants) 216

Tom Curran (Surrey) 216

Keith Barker (Warwicks) 211