MORRIS BACKS STRAUSS TO HIT FORM STRAUSS NOT WORRIED ABOUT BAIRSTOW BOARD ROOM BATTLE FOR TOURISTS PRIOR NOT READY TO BELIEVE THE HYPE CENTURIONS GUIDE SOMERSET TO BIG SCORE DERBYSHIRE TAKE COMMAND NO OPERATION FOR STOKES MUSHTAQ MAKES SURREY MOVE KNIGHT RIDERS CLAIM CRUCIAL WIN
van Jaarsveld Wins Overall MVP Title - 28/09/2008A thrilling finish to the county championship (LVCC) was mirrored by the race for the title of overall MVP and LVCC MVP. Martin van Jaarsveld hung on by his finger nails to take the title of PCA MVP from the fast-finishing Samit Patel. Both men had disappointing final weeks from a team perspective as Kent were relegated for the first time in the Championship and Nottinghamshire failed to bring home the Pennant despite being favourites before the final round of matches. But Patel deserves much credit for closing the gap, which had stood at 93 points three weeks ago, to just six points. In his last four innings he scored 324 runs compared to van Jaarsveld's 40, the South African's imperious form earlier in the season just giving him enough of a cushion. Van Jaarsveld slipped off the top spot in the LVCC MVP, however, but can reflect on an excellent season that realised 2197 runs across all cricket seeing him finish as the country's leading run-scorer. His 13 wickets and great slip catching (41) should not be overlooked either. Patel finished a fine season, in which he was rewarded with a call-up to the England one-day side, with 1568 runs and 48 wickets from all forms, including 70 and 77 in the losing cause against Hampshire this week. Ryan McLaren took third courtesy of a battling 65 not out as he did his best to save Kent from the drop, while Dimitri Mascarenhas stormed into fourth after leading a resurgent Hampshire to third in the Championship. Mascarenhas scored 959 runs and took 62 wickets compared to McLaren's 749 and 83 but it's in the Championship where his contributions have been most telling. Finishing as the LVCC MVP, Mascarenhas' 673 runs and 41 wickets have been instrumental in turning his team's fortunes around since the beginning of August when Hants looked favourites for relegation. Against Notts he scored 41 in the first innings before returning figures of 2-38 and 4-43. The individual performance of the week and given its significance possibly of the season came from Adil Rashid who - with some help from David Wainwright - took Yorkshire out of the relegation equation. Rashid guided the Tykes from the parlous position of 84-6 to 400-9 to collect full batting points before taking 2-41 and 7-136. Rashid finished just a fraction behind Mascarenhas in the LVCC MVP scoring 516 runs and taking 62 wickets. Across all cricket he scored 627 runs and took 80 wickets.
MVP
Martin van Jaarsveld LVCC MVP
Dimitri Mascarenhas FPT MVP
Martin van Jaarsveld T20 MVP
Graham Napier PRO 40 MVP
Steven Davies Leading Run-Scorers
1 Martin van Jaarsveld 2197 runs Leading Wicket-Takers
1 Steve Harmison 109 wickets (nine for England) Leading Keepers
1 Geraint Jones 104 dismissals (92 catches, 12 stumpings) Rankings Bulletins
|
|
 |
 |
 |
