Harris takes early MVP lead

Middlesex’s James Harris has charged into an early lead in the PCA Most Valuable Player Rankings after his Man of the Match display in his side’s 160-run victory against Northamptonshire at Lord’s.

Harris claimed match figures of 9-48 as well as racking up an unbeaten 46 in Middlesex’s first innings to fire him to top of the MVP leader board with 50.72 points and ensure life in Specsavers County Championship Division Two started very brightly for the hosts.

In Division One at Old Trafford there was a dramatic end to Nottinghamshire’s victory over Lancashire as the visitors, needing just 10 runs for victory lost four wickets in the process on a remarkable final morning.

Seam bowlers Jake Ball and Harry Gurney starred for Nottinghamshire taking 17 wickets between them with Gurney winning the battle for the MVP Man of the Match scoring 42.47 points and entering the rankings in second spot.

Fidel Edwards and Kyle Abbott of Hampshire took seven wickets-a-piece in their victory against newly promoted Worcestershire. The pair dominated the opener at the Ageas Bowl with South African Abbott scoring 41.88 points.

Despite the 196-run defeat, captain Joe Leach was a shining light for the Pears, taking seven wickets to end the fixture as their top placed player in 12th position in the overall MVP.

Meanwhile there was a frustrating opening to the season for the reigning champions as Essex had a complete wash out at Yorkshire with the Emerald Headingley outfield deemed not fit for play.

The MVP formula was designed by the players to identify the match-winners and key influencers of matches throughout the domestic and international season.

An innovation which provides a more rigorous analysis of player performances than traditional batting and bowling averages, the MVP formula gives full credit to those players whose performances improve their team’s chances of winning. Points are accrued for all runs scored and wickets taken, these are then adjusted within the context of the match to take into account strike rates and economy rates.

Runs gain more points if they are scored quickly or in low-scoring contests. Top order wickets are judged more valuable than those that fall later. Catches, run-outs and stumpings are also accounted for as well as bonus points for captains and players who are on the victorious side.

With Middlesex’s PCA representative Harris taking an early lead in the overall rankings thanks to him taking nine wickets and scoring 46 not out in the first innings he is leads the way in the race for the £10,000 prize awarded the overall county MVP. and winning the MVP Man of the Match with 50.72 points. However, it was a close battle with Irish international Tim Murtagh taking 39.93 points thanks to his eight wickets in another fixture dominated by the ball.

Gloucestershire debutant Ryan Higgins took 5-22 in the second innings to help his side to a five-wicket victory against Kent at Canterbury. The bowler took the prize wicket of Daniel Bell-Drummond for 61 and Joe Denly for a duck in the Spitfires second innings to ensure got off to a winning start. Matt Henry took match figures of 7-70 to run Higgins close with an MVP score of 31.64.

South African David Wiese scored the first century of the 2018 Specsavers County Championship campaign in Sussex’s opening clash against Warwickshire. With 150 overs lost in the rain-affected match an inevitable draw was recorded, but it was Weise who unsurprisingly came away as the MVP Man of the Match scoring an impressive 40.70 points.

To view the MVP Rankings standings, click here.

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