Joe Leach is again making his mark in the Professional Cricketers’ Association Most Valuable Player Rankings – and there are three other Worcestershire players also in the top 100.
Skipper Leach was the leader of the rankings for most of the first half of last season and eventually finished in fourth place.
Leach took 44 rankings points from Worcestershire’s Specsavers County Championship triumph over Northamptonshire at New Road.
He finished with career best match figures of 10 for 122 and also contributed important runs in a low-scoring contest.
Leach earned 20 points for his five for 60 in Northamptonshire’s first innings and 17 more in their second innings.
There were two additional points for Leach for captaining Worcestershire to victory and he is now in 18th place in the PCA MVP Rankings table on 58 points.
The PCA MVP Rankings system identifies the match-winners and key influencers of matches throughout the domestic season. It takes into account conditions, quality of opposition, captaincy and strike-rates as well as runs scored and wickets taken.
Leach is Worcestershire’s highest-placed player in the rankings table.
All-rounder John Hastings is in 62nd place on 38 points after three rounds of championship matches, although Worcestershire have played only two.
Paceman Josh Tongue is five places behind Hastings on 36 points, having made his mark in the rankings via his first two Championship appearances.
Tongue took five wickets on his championship debut against Glamorgan and four for 45 in Northamptonshire’s second innings which secured 12 PCA MVP points.
Ed Barnard is Worcestershire’s fourth representative in the top 100 of the rankings in 96th place with 28 points, 17 of them from the Northamptonshire match.
The PCA MVP Rankings system was introduced in 2007. The formula gives full credit to those players whose performances improve their team’s chances of winning.
Points are accrued for all runs scored and wickets taken, these are then adjusted within the context of the match to take into account strike rates and economy rates.
Runs gain more points if they are scored quickly or in low-scoring contests. Top order wickets are judged more valuable than those that fall later.
