Butcher Makes Dramatic Ascent Of MPV Table
The biggest mover in this week's MVP is Surrey captain Mark Butcher, who is the highest new entry at number six. Butcher has had an incredible run of form over the last eight days with 139 and 66 in the Friends Provident Trophy (FPT) against Kent and Essex respectively either side of a first innings Championship (LVCC) effort of 205 against Yorkshire. The former England batsman has scored 798 runs across both competitions and has pushed himself into the top ten of the LVCC MVP, too, where he lies eighth.
Martin van Jaarsveld still tops the MVP overall having amassed 803 runs including three FPT hundreds. He is ranked number one in the FPT and has been consistent if not spectacular in the LVCC, notching more valuable points this week with a first innings effort of 95 against Somerset at Tunbridge Wells.
Another fine all round effort from Yorkshire all-rounder Tim Bresnan sees him jump a couple of places to second overall. Having taken three first innings wickets at the Oval in the LVCC, he scored a valuable 84 to put Surrey under pressure as Yorkshire batted past the hosts, before removing the dangerous Alistair Brown to give the Tykes a sniff of victory. Bresnan has 302 runs and 28 wickets so far this season.
Kent's overseas player, Yasir Arafat, had a quiet week slipping to number three overall but he did acquire points with three Somerset wickets taking his tally to 32 across all cricket in addition to 211 runs.
The man who set the early pace in this year's race for the coveted title of MVP, Ravi Bopara is still right in contention after scoring 87 and taking three wickets against Leicestershire in the LVCC. He is currently ranked ninth in the FPT and eleventh in the LVCC with 677 runs and 14 wickets across both competitions, which sees him in fourth place overall.
Ryan McLaren, who burst on the scene with a hat-trick in last year's Twenty20 final, has been uprooting more timber this week on the way to an eight wicket haul against Somerset. McLaren knocked over Somerset captain Justin Langer first ball with an inswinging Yorker on the way to first innings figures of 5-31. He has 30 wickets and 195 runs and is ranked fifth overall.
Darren Pattinson is one place and three points behind Butcher in seventh spot overall but he is ranked top of the LVCC MVP after another five wickets in the competition this week against champions Sussex. He has 20 wickets in the LVCC, 31 overall.
Usman Afzaal is looking one of the best acquisitions of the summer. The former Notts and Northants left-hander scored his third century for Surrey this week - his second in the LVCC. He staved off everything Yorkshire threw at him in a second innings effort of 105, which brings his run tally to 838 in addition to eight useful wickets across both competitions.
Peter Trego climbs one spot to ninth overall after contributing with bat and ball against Kent at Tunbridge Wells. The Somerset all-rounder, who spent a season in the garden of England in 2003, scored 78 runs in the match and took 4-52 in the first innings as Kent were dismissed for 273. Trego has racked up 349 runs and 19 wickets.
Hylton Ackerman stays in the top ten after his third century of the LVCC campaign. He scored 112 against Essex bringing his tally in the LVCC to 471 in addition to 325 in the FPT where he is also ranked tenth.
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