Harmer back on top of Overall MVP

Essex man Simon Harmer has moved top of the PCA’s Overall Most Valuable Player Rankings after a scintillating performance against Surrey boosted him to 100.65 aggregate MVP points for the season.

The 2019 Overall MVP, who accrued a monumental 609 total points across all formats last year, now has a 21-point lead over second placed Jamie Overton, who began Tuesday at the top of the pile.

Harmer’s match figures of 14-131 translated to 73.76 MVP points for the match at Chelmsford. That’s now the highest tally for any domestic or international fixture this season, surpassing Ben Stokes’ 73.16 posted against West Indies on 21 July.

The off-spinner is now averaging a massive 50.33 MVP points-per-game this season. He will be the odds-on favourite to reclaim the Overall MVP title if he continues in such fine form.

🚨 NEW LEADER ALERT! 🚨

The 2019 Overall MVP is back on top of the pile! 👑

📈 An incredible 14 wickets and 73.76 MVP points in the match are enough to give Simon Harmer a comfortable MVP lead

View the full Rankings 👉https://t.co/sG1jWKeEdu#BobWillisTrophy pic.twitter.com/61AVd4pZ8U

— PCA MVP Rankings (@pcaMVP) August 11, 2020

Below Harmer, Somerset speed twins Jamie (79 MVP points) and Craig Overton (74 MVP points) complete the current top three.

The pair have started the season in typical fashion as Somerset have claimed two wins from two, with Jamie in particular excelling in his side’s stunning two-day win over Northants this weekend.

The fast bowler struck a rapid 68 before claiming 4-26 at Northampton, enough to see him be named MVP of the Match with 41.5 MVP points in the fixture.

Below the Overtons sits Glamorgan’s Chris Cooke (68 MVP points), whilst Warwickshire fast bowler Oliver Hannon-Dalby occupies fifth position, having had a match to remember against Gloucestershire at Bristol, despite just ending up on the losing side.

Hannon-Dalby produced his maiden ten-fer, ending with match figures of 12-110 including best innings figures of 6-33 in the first innings.

He is now the leading fast bowler in the country in terms of MVP points, as only Harmer (86.22) can better Hannon-Dalby’s current MVP bowling points tally of 63.68.

The MVP algorithm is used to identify the match-winners and key influencers in any given fixture by taking into account important contributions such as scoring a high proportion of your team’s runs, claiming top-order wickets and taking catches in the field.

When each individual player’s total points are aggregated at the end of the season, three domestic MVPs will be named for 2020: one for the Bob Willis Trophy, one for the Vitality Blast and a third cross-format Overall MVP.

Essex’s Harmer is the current holder of the Overall MVP title after he beat off the competition to win with 609 MVP points in 2019 – 67 clear of the nearest challenger which was Hampshire’s Kyle Abbott.

Other MVP highlights from round two of the Bob Willis Trophy include Jordan Cox and Jack Leaning’s historic 423-run partnership against Sussex at Canterbury.

Cox (238*) edged out teammate Leaning (220*) in terms of both runs scored and the race for the MVP. In doubling his career first-class runs tally, the youngster quadrupled his MVP points haul for the season – he’s now in 14th position with 54.5 points.

Kent’s heroes were almost matched by Worcestershire duo Jake Libby and Brett D’Oliveira. The pair put on 318 for the fourth wicket against Glamorgan at Blackfinch New Road, helping them to move up to sixth and eleventh position respectively in the MVP. Libby edged out his teammate for the MVP of the Match award on this occasion, however, earning 50 MVP points during the fixture.

Elsewhere, Yorkshire’s Jordan Thompson marked himself as a future all-round prospect as he followed his 22 MVP points in Yorkshire’s first Bob Willis Trophy fixture with 41.5 more in their stunning victory over Nottinghamshire. The 23-year-old, in ninth position in the MVP, currently has 26 batting MVP points and 33 bowling points to his name for this season.

Hampshire’s Joe Weatherley (36.64 MVP points), Lancashire’s Tom Bailey (33.02) and Derbyshire’s Matt Critchley (26.89 MVP points) were all also recognised for their outstanding individual performances in wins for their respective sides over the past four days.

View the MVP Rankings here.

Keep up-to-date with all the latest MVP news by following the @pcaMVP on Twitter.