Kent all-rounder charging up MVP rankings

Kent’s Darren Stevens is on the verge of the top ten place in the FTI Most Valuable Player Rankings after hitting a purple patch of form.

The evergreen all-rounder smashed his second century of the summer last week to rescue a draw against Glamorgan.

Despite a slow start to the season Stevens, who is the fourth highest points-scorer since the rankings began back in 2007, has been accumulating points in recent matches.

His last six knocks in the LV=CC now read: 136, 97, 60, 96, 10 and 119. He has also taken 4-36 versus Essex and 5-39 against his old county Leicestershire.

In total, he’s now contributed 672 runs and taken 22 wickets across all forms of the game and has closed to within 48 points of leader, Chris Jordan of Sussex, who he could face in Kent’s next match at Canterbury.

The FTI MVPs, which feature a £10,000 purse for the cricketer who scoops the top prize at the end of the season, award points for every run scored, wicket taken and catch held.

Bowlers receive higher marks for good economy rates, bowling maidens and for dismissing the top order, whilst batsmen are rewarded for high run rates and the percentage of the team’s runs they hit.

There are now more points across all formats for those notching 40 and 50 per cent of a team’s total, for top order batsmen, in recognition of their greater challenge against the new ball, and for those who hit big hundreds.

It is also harder to receive a strike rate bonus in YB40 cricket, reflecting an overall increase in scoring rates for this format, and dot balls in FL20 cricket will also become more valuable.