We thought it would be interesting to try and create an MVP (Most Valuable Player) system specifically for the Women’s County Championship played here in England. The games are 50 over format with the first 10 overs of the game deemed to be Powerplay overs, during which time only two fielders are allowed outside the fielding ring. For the rest of the game, except the batting powerplay of five overs, four fielders are allowed outside the ring. During the batting powerplay only three fielders are allowed outside the ring.

The aim of the MVP calculations is to achieve parity between a good performance with either the bat or the ball, which means taking into account strike rate as well as runs scored for batsmen, and economy rate as well as wickets taken for bowlers.

For batting there are points for :-
i) weighted runs (ie depends where you bat – to reflect more opportunity to score runs in the top four for example)
ii) strike rate
iii) overall percentage of a team’s runs
iv) plus bonuses for 50 & 100

For bowling there are points for
i) weighted wickets taken (more for top 4, then 5-6, then 7-8 & then 9-11);
ii) economy rate (linked to overs bowled)
iii) maidens
iv) bonus for 5 wickets

All players are also given points for catches, run outs, and stumpings and there is a bonus of five runs for each member of the winning team.

No system is perfect – sometimes a battling 7* off 35 balls might be the crucial innings in a game – but we hope that this MVP Rating system gives an idea of who the most valuable players are to their counties in each individual match and over the season as a whole.

The WCB MVP Rating will be updated and published after each round of the Women’s County Championship.

Martin Davies
08/V/19