Friday, October 2nd, 2020

COUNTY BATSMAN JAKE LIBBY NAMED IN GREENE KING TEAM OF THE YEAR

Worcestershire CCC batsman Jake Libby has been named in the Greene King Team Of The Year for 2020.

Libby, who scooped three awards at the County’s Virtual Awards evening, is part of the ultimate County XI selected via the Professional Cricketers’ Association MVP formula.

He was the second-highest run-scorer with 498 in the entire Bob Willis Trophy and faced more balls – 1,041 – than any other batsmen.

Libby (318 runs) also figured prominently in the Vitality Blast, and only Hamish Rutherford (352) scored more runs for the Rapids in the competition.

The balanced team – selected ahead of the Vitality Blast quarter-finals – consists of the best performing individuals on the county circuit across red and white-ball cricket. 

It is a mixture of youth and experience with former England Test captain Alastair Cook selected due to his red-ball performances in helping Essex lift the Bob Willis Trophy.

Batting, bowling and fielding points were taken into consideration as well as MVP points-per-game and MVP of the Match awards to create the ultimate domestic team of 2020.

The leader of the PCA’s Overall County Most Valuable Player Rankings – Simon Harmer – captains the Greene King Team of the Year 2020.

The team of star performers contains two of the shortlisted players for the NatWest PCA Men’s Player of the Year in the form of Harmer and Craig Overton. 

Meanwhile, two of the hottest prospects in the game in Will Jacks and Tom Lammonby are included. The duo are shortlisted to win the Vitality PCA Young Player of the Year, with both awards announced as part of the NatWest Cricket Awards on Vitality Blast Finals Day.

The Awards will be the first of its kind when it takes place on Saturday. The event will incorporate the 51st NatWest PCA Awards and the annual NatWest Outstanding Service to Cricket Awards (OSCAs) to celebrate all levels of cricket from grassroots to the international game in this most unique of summers.

GREENE KING TEAM OF THE SEASON

Stats correct as of Wednesday 30 September when the team was selected.

Alastair Cook – Essex

  • 339 Overall MVP points
  • MVP in Lord’s Final after scoring 203 match runs
  • Most runs in the Bob Willis Trophy with 563
  • Top batsman in Bob Willis Trophy MVP

Jake Libby – Worcestershire

  • 162 Overall MVP points
  • Earned most MVP batting points with 151
  • Scored 816 runs across both formats
  • Faced most balls in Bob Willis Trophy – 1,041

Tom Lammonby – Somerset

  • 159 Overall MVP points
  • 459 red-ball runs
  • Hit three consecutive first-class hundreds
  • Career best 116 in Lord’s final

Ben Duckett – Nottinghamshire

  • 142 Overall MVP points
  • Third most batting MVP points
  • 665 runs in all competitions
  • Three MVP of the Match awards

Will Jacks – Surrey

  • 172 Overall MVP points
  • Ended Blast group stage as MVP leader
  • Opens batting & bowling in T20s
  • 267 Blast runs, striking at 153+

Chris Cooke (Wicketkeeper) – Glamorgan

  • 181 Overall MVP points
  • Most fielding MVP points with 52
  • 515 runs across formats
  • Five scores of 50+

Ryan Higgins – Gloucestershire

  • 190 Overall MVP points
  • Third in Overall MVP
  • 30 wickets across formats
  • Maiden 10-fer taking 11-96

Craig Overton – Somerset

  • 238 Overall MVP points
  • Bob Willis Trophy MVP
  • 30 red-ball wickets at 13.43
  • August PCA Player of the Month

Simon Harmer (Captain) – Essex

  • 268 Overall MVP points
  • Set to be crowned back-to-back County MVP
  • Top red-ball wicket taker with 38
  • Most fielding points for outfielder with 20

Darren Stevens – Kent

  • 167 Overall MVP points
  • Averaging 33.37 points per game
  • Third highest red-ball bowling MVP points
  • Three five-wicket hauls

Josh Davey – Somerset

  • 186 Overall MVP points
  • 35 wickets in all formats
  • Second most seam bowling MVP points
  • Averaged 13.79 with ball in red-ball cricket