Photo Credit: Professional Cricketers’ Association
Matt Henry and Georgia Adams lead the MVP Rankings for July.
You can now vote for your Players of the Month for July as the top four men’s and women’s domestic players have been announced using the PCA’s Most Valuable Player Rankings.
Following their Vitality Blast success, Somerset’s ever-impressive Matt Henry leads the July MVP table. Middlesex all-rounder Ryan Higgins continues his good form and currently leads the Overall MVP, whilst Essex all-rounder Paul Walter sits just behind in third. Henry’s Somerset team-mate Craig Overton completes a competitive top four in July’s MVP.
For the women’s award, Southern Vipers skipper Georgia Adams tops the July table and is nominated for a second month in succession. Sunrisers teenager Jodi Grewcock has been in fine form and sits second with The Blaze’s Sophie Munro in third. Northern Diamonds wicket-keeper batter Lauren Winfield-Hill has enjoyed another remarkable month and completes the July nominees.
The players are selected by the PCA’s Most Valuable Player Rankings, powered by Argentex, which picks out the game’s top performers across every single fixture which forms the rankings for each competition, as well as an overall table which is how the top four is selected. The MVP takes into account batting, bowling and fielding contributions as well as match defining contributions using a unique algorithm developed with CricViz.
The PCA Player of the Month is decided by public vote here – with the poll closing on Thursday 3 August at 11am.
Men’s PCA Player of the Month
The month of July saw a combination of LV= Insurance County Championship fixtures and an array of Vitality Blast games as the competition ended with Somerset beating Essex Eagles at Edgbaston on Final’s Day.
Matt Henry (Somerset)
Somerset’s overseas quick bowler Matt Henry was in phenomenal form in July picking up 24 wickets at an astonishing average of 12.5 across both competitions on his way to 136 MVP points.
A brilliant month for the 31-year-old saw him win the Vitality Blast competition, finishing the tournament as the leading wicket taker with 31 wickets.
The New Zealander picked up a Match MVP award in the County Championship earning 40 points against Northamptonshire with brilliant match figures of 8-109 as Somerset won by nine wickets.
The seamer also bowled Somerset to victory in the final of the Vitality Blast picking up incredible figures of 4-24.
Ryan Higgins (Middlesex)
Middlesex all-rounder Ryan Higgins has been in good form with bat and ball all season and finds himself second on 123 points for July.
April’s Player of the Month winner is nominated once again and currently leads the Overall MVP table.
The 28-year-old scored 219 runs at an average of 54.8 across both competitions in July, alongside taking 13 wickets at 20 apiece.
Higgins picked up a Match MVP award for his incredible performance against Glamorgan, scoring an unbeaten 71 off 36 balls which included five sixes and then taking 3-20 as Middlesex won by 49 runs, earning him 47 MVP points.
Paul Walter (Essex)
Essex all-rounder Paul Walter enjoyed a fruitful month in both disciplines earning 122 MVP points during July.
The 29-year-old scored 236 runs at a shade under 30 and took 14 wickets with a storming average of 12.3.
Walter produced a fantastic performance in the final of the Blast with 3-29 and 26 with the bat but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Somerset victory.
In the longer format of the game, Walter helped Essex to victory with innings of 76 and 24 against Lancashire alongside useful match figures of 5-50. Walter will be looking to follow in the footsteps of team-mate Matt Critchley who won June’s award.
Craig Overton (Somerset)
Another Blast winner and Somerset player completes the exciting July nominees list with all-rounder Craig Overton earning 117 MVP points.
Across both competitions Overton scored 140 runs at 35 and took 13 wickets averaging 26.8.
The 29-year-old seamer produced Match MVP performances in both the County Championship and Vitality Blast.
A brilliant innings of 70 not out off 63 balls including five sixes earnt Overton a longer format Match MVP and 29 points to his total.
Whilst his Blast semi-final performance of 3-24 gained him 27 MVP points and a place in the final which Somerset won.Please select your Men’s PCA Player of the Month for JulyMatt HenryRyan HigginsPaul WalterCraig Overton
Women’s PCA Player of the Month
To help make your decision on who to vote for in the women’s category, below is a quick glance at the four nominee’s achievements in July with the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy 50-over competition in the spotlight.
Georgia Adams (Southern Vipers)
Southern Vipers all-rounder Georgia Adams enjoyed a brilliant July scoring 61 MVP points, 11 more than second place.
The Vipers skipper is nominated for the second month in succession and amassed 155 runs averaging 77.5 and took seven wickets at an average of 25.9 in July.
The 29-year-old earned two Match MVP awards in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy in the month.
A blistering unbeaten innings of 94 and figures of 1-41 off her 10 overs earnt 27 MVP points, however The Blaze won the game by four wickets.
Against Western Storm, Adams scored a stunning 59 off 66 balls and took 2-50 as her side won by four wickets, earning her 24 points.
Jodi Grewcock (Sunrisers)
Sunrisers Jodi Grewcock has stormed on to the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy stage with a strong month earning 50 MVP points.
The left-handed opening batter scored 78 runs and took seven wickets with a fantastic average of 13.7.
At just 18-years-old, Grewcock won a Match MVP award for a breath-taking performance against Southern Vipers.
Grewcock helped her side to 254 thanks to a knock of 76 from 101 balls. Then bowling her leg-breaks took phenomenal figures of 4-45 helping Sunrisers to a 28-run victory.
The 39 MVP points she earned is the highest number for a single Match MVP in the competition to date.
Sophie Munro (The Blaze)
Third on July’s list is The Blaze’s Sophie Munro who earnt 46 MVP points during the month.
The 21-year-old scored 78 runs with an average of 39 and took five wickets at 26 apiece with her right-arm medium pace.
Munro put in a brilliant performance with the ball against Northern Diamonds taking 3-35 opening the attack as The Blaze stormed to a nine wicket victory.
Another strong showing against Western Storm further highlighted Munro’s all-round ability scoring 41 off 50 balls and taking 1-39 as her side won by six runs chasing 245.
Lauren Winfield-Hill (Northern Diamonds)
Having been nominated for Player of the Month in April, Northern Diamonds Lauren Winfield-Hill will be hoping to go one better this time as she secured 45 MVP points.
The opening batter scored a staggering 241 runs averaging 60.3 and took three catches with the gloves.
The 32-year-old managed a Match MVP award against South East Stars thanks to a sublime unbeaten innings of 116 from just 100 balls.
Diamonds chased down 206 to win inside 33 overs thanks to Winfield-Hill’s knock and her three catches behind the stumps in the game meant she walked away with 28 MVP points.Please select your Women’s PCA Player of the Month for JulyGeorgia AdamsJodi GrewcockSophie MunroLauren Winfield-Hill
Find out more about the PCA MVP Rankings and view the men’s and women’s tables.
Name of Author: Professional Cricketers Association
The Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA), founded in 1967 by former England fast bowler Fred Rumsey as the Cricketers’ Association, represents past and present first-class cricketers in England and Wales. In the 1970s, the PCA established a standard employment contract and minimum wage for professional cricketers. It also helped create a pension scheme in 1995 and launched the magazine All Out Cricket and the ACE UK Educational Programme in 2002.
