Napier Eyes Finals At Top Of Twenty20 MVP Table
Graham Napier maintained his lead at the top of the Twenty20 MVP table, helping his side to a money spinning Twenty20 finals day. He smashed a quick fire 40 and then bowled magnificently, taking 4-10 including the crucial wicket of in-form batsman David Sales, as his side romped to a 59 run victory (Duckworth/Lewis method) over Northamptonshire. Andrew Hall remains in second place - his two wickets in the same game weren't enough to prevent his team's defeat or move up him above that man Napier.
Azhar Mahmood moves up one position to fourth, thanks to his all round contribution in Kent's clash with Warwickshire at Edgbaston. Mahmood made 25 from just 13 deliveries with the bat and then earned miserly bowling figures - conceding just 16 runs from four overs, as his side booked their place in the finals. His teammate Joe Denly also snook into the top ten thanks to a brisk innings of 27 and two catches. There was some consolation for the Bears Anthony Botha, who moved up to ninth in the Twenty20 MVP table thanks to a quickfire 35 from 19 deliveries and excellent bowling figures of 1-14 from three overs.
Middlesex batsman Dawid Malan propelled himself an incredible 44 places up the Twenty20 MVP table to twelfth, courtesy of a stunning century in his side's narrow 12 run victory versus Lancashire. His innings of 103 came from just 54 deliveries and included 10 fours and 6 sixes. In scoring well over half Middlesex' runs at such a prolific strikerate, Malan netted himself 34 MVP points and a trip to the Rose Bowl for Twenty20 Finals day for his team. He was ably assisted by teammate Tyron Henderson, who consolidated his third place in the Twenty20 MVP table with 21 from 13 deliveries and bowling figures of 1-28.
Fifth placed Anthony McGrath was prevented from moving up the table as his Yorkshire team found themselves in the middle of controversy. Their quarter-final match with Durham was postponed at the eleventh hour due to fielding Azeem Rafiq, who was not registered and did not have a British passport. Yorkshire have since been expelled from the competition and Durham will now face Yorkshire in the quarter-final.
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