Darren Stevens Wins August FTI MVP Award – 06/09/11

Darren Stevens Wins August FTI MVP – 06/09/11 Kent all-rounder Darren Stevens has won the monthly FTI MVP award for August after consistent performances in domestic cricket with bat and ball over the course of the month, earning a total of 143.67 points. 35 year old Stevens took 19 wickets throughout August in the LV= County Championship including 11-70 against Surrey to help Kent to a comprehensive victory. The all-rounder also scored 174 runs in the competition including 67 against Leicestershire. Stevens’ highest score with the bat came in a Clydesdale Bank 40 fixture against Netherlands, scoring 70 runs from 67 balls. His form with the bat continued two days later when he recorded another half century in the competition, this time against Middlesex reaching 65 from 54 balls to help Kent secure a narrow victory. With less than three weeks to go in the 2011 domestic season the race to be crowned the overall 2011 FTI MVP domestic winner is reaching its climax. Marcus Trescothick is currently in top spot with a lead of 90 points although his current injury is allowing the chasing pack of Samit Patel, Gareth Andrew, Darren Stevens and Chris Nash to make up some ground. Darren Stevens said: "It’s been a steady month for me, especially with the ball. 11 poles against Surrey was obviously a highlight including a career best 7-21. A final push now may just let me edge out Marcus Trescothick." Sebastian Mathews, vice president in the Strategic Communications practice of FTI Consulting said: "Darren has had a great month in picking up the August FTI MVP award and also moving into fourth place in the overall FTI MVP rankings. We are set for an exciting finish to this season’s FTI MVPs where it looks like we have a group of experienced Englishmen fighting it out in September to take the summer award. "Having looked like Marcus Trescothick might run away with it, his injury has seen others, similarly with experience, shine through over the season from Samit Patel, Gareth Andrew, Chris Nash and of course, Darren. The young bucks may have taken the early awards in the season, but it’s looking like experience really counts over the longer term, across all formats." You can view a full roundup of all FTI MVP action throughout August here. FTI MVP awards are also presented to the leading domestic player at the end of each county season and the leading England player at the end of the domestic international season and again following the winter tour period. Originally conceived by the PCA, the FTI MVP Rankings (powered by PA Sport) are a cumulative points system that rewards players for every run scored, every wicket taken and every catch held – and how well they do it. For more information on the current standings for the FTI MVP Rankings check www.ecb.co.uk/stats The FTI MVP Explained For answers to all of your Rankings questions simply click on the links below. Why reward a captain? Is there a difference in the divisions? Why should a batsman be rewarded for scoring quickly? Why reward a batsman for scoring 40% of his teams’ total? Why reward a batsman for scoring a century? Why is a bowler who has a good economy rate considered valuable? Why reward a bowler for taking five wickets in an innings? Does each wicket a bowler takes have the same value? Run outs Catches Stumpings Winning FTI MVP Extras Keep up to date with the FTI MVP with our news bulletins and RSS news feeds. Plus check out what happend when we ran the FTI MVP formula through the 2006 statistics. FTI MVP Video Find out what the experts think by clicking here To keep up to date with the England FTI MVP, visit www.thepca.co.uk. The leader board will update after the last game finishes of any round of matches. If you have any questions or require more information about the FTI MVP, please contact rankings@thepca.co.uk MVP Goes Amateur! Fans of the PCA’s groundbreaking Most Valuable Player system will be delighted to hear that MVP has being rolled out to all amateur cricketers! That’s right, clubs and schools around the world will now be able to sign up for the professional MVP treatment, thanks to a brand new web portal in a joint initiative between the ECB and PCA. No more arguing about who is the best player on your team – the MVP formula, designed by the pros for the pros, delivers a cumulative points system that rewards every run scored, wicket taken and catch held. All your scorecard information will be processed to determine who is grinding out the match winning performances…and who is full of hot air. Please visit www.mycricketmvp.com/ for all the details.