Vote for July’s Player of the Month

Notts Outlaws Daniel Christian, Leicestershire’s Ben Raine, Lancashire’s Liam Livingstone and Ryan Higgins of Gloucestershire have been shortlisted for the Professional Cricketers’ Association Player of the Month for July.

The four topped the PCA Most Valuable Player Rankings in July and the winner will now be decided by supporters through a vote at the bottom of this article as well as the Sky Sports app and website. Voting is now open and will close at 9am on Friday August 3.

The MVP formula provides a more rigorous analysis of player performances than traditional batting and bowling averages, the 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 the Rankings creating the shortlist for the PCA Player of the Month, it is up to supporters to vote for the eventual winner and here are the contenders:

Notts Outlaws captain Christian is currently leading the Vitality Blast MVP Rankings after a phenomenal start to the competition which included a 37-ball hundred.

After leading his side to the T20 trophy last year, the Australian has started in fine form, hitting an unbeaten 113 from 40 balls. Made all the more impressive by batting at number six. The 58-run victory over Northants was the first of three MVP Man of the Matches in a row.

109 runs and five wickets from his next two games helped Notts to three wins on the spin to put them in early contention to reach the knock out stages.

Christian’s 311 runs and six wickets in the Blast has seen the all-rounder secure an impressive 124 MVP points in July.

Raine has been a standout performer in county cricket all season with July being a particularly productive month. Ending with 123 MVP points, his most noticeable performance came in the Vitality Blast victory over Birmingham.

The all-rounder smashed 113 off just 46 balls to score his first century in professional cricket and the fastest ever by a Leicestershire player and then took two wickets for 28 runs to help the Foxes to a 100-run victory.

A week later the 26-year-old produced another Man of the Match display, hitting 83 with the bat before taking two wickets to take his side to another victory in the T20 competition.

Four wickets in the County Championship victory over high flying Kent meant Raine ended the month with 10 wickets and 242 runs across the two formats.

Lancashire captain Livingstone had his exceptional month cut short due to a fractured thumb picked up in the Roses Championship match, just days after his Man of the Match performance against Yorkshire led his side to victory.

The 24-year-old scooped two further MVP Man of the Matches in July, a ton off 51 balls in his second game of the month against Derbyshire as well as a four wicket haul for just 17 runs and a quick-fire 28 against the Foxes inspired Lightening to the top of the Vitality Blast North Group.

With 280 runs and six wickets in July, Livingstone ended the month with 122 MVP points with an average of just over 20, more than any other player in July.

Gloucestershire all-rounder Ryan Higgins is shortlisted for the PCA Player of the Month for the second time this season after a consistent month saw him take 16 wickets and score 287 runs.

The 23-year-old starred with bat and ball throughout the month, most noticeably being awarded the Man of the Match in the victory against Durham in the Championship. A century was followed by six wickets across both innings and a further 42 with the bat to propel him to fourth in the Championship MVP Rankings for the season.

Higgins has also been a consistent performer in the Blast, most recently scoring 30 and taking three wickets to beat Glamorgan, putting Gloucestershire at the summit of the South Group and ending the month with 120 points.