Anderson extends MVP lead

24 July 2008

James Anderson has 25 Test wickets this summer

James Anderson has developed a 38-point lead in the PCA Test MVP as he outperformed his nearest rivals at Headingley Carnegie, taking his wicket tally for the summer's Test matches to 25.

The Lancastrian's batting improvement should not be overlooked either as he notched 45 runs for the Test, which earned him six points.

Ryan Sidebottom remains in second spot in the Test MVP despite his absence from Headingley Carnegie through injury.

Stuart Broad jumped a spot to third in the Test MVP after his third half-century in as many Tests.

Kevin Pietersen is another player to climb one spot - to fourth - in the Test MVP despite a relatively quiet match at Headingley Carnegie. His 45 in the first innings represented over 22 per cent of England's total, which is only marginally less than when he scored his 152 at Lord's.

Monty Panesar slips from third to fifth in the Test MVP despite the respectable figures of 3-65. Unlike normal averages, the MVP takes into account that Panesar's wickets were tailenders captured late in South Africa's innings.

This explains why his three victims earned him fewer points than Anderson's three top-order wickets. Panesar has now taken 16 wickets from the summer's Tests. He is in sixth spot in the overall MVP.