The Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) has announced a brand new Player of the Month initiative for 2017.
Set to run alongside the exisiting Most Valuable Player rankings, which was introduced in 2007 to provide more rigorous analysis of player performances.
The Player of the Month is to be voted for via the Sky Sports app & website, with voting now open for April’s award.
No Durham players have made the shortlist which includes Yorkshire’s Gary Ballance & Ben Coad, Kent all-rounder Darren Stevens & Gloucestershire bowler Liam Norwell.
The MVP rankings were designed by the players to identify the match-winners and key influencers of matches throughout the domestic season.
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.
It also takes into account conditions, quality of opposition, captaincy and strike-rates as well as runs scored and wickets taken with the player who tops the overall PCA MVP Rankings at the end of the season, receiving a £10,000 prize and a trophy.