Surrey opener Will Jacks has been named as this season’s PCA Vitality Blast Most Valuable Player.
Jacks, still only 21, has produced consistently excellent performances throughout this year’s 20-over tournament, finishing with 177.8 MVP points at an average of 13.7 points-per-game to his name to win the race for the £2,500 winner’s cheque and the Vitality Blast Player of the Year trophy.
Jacks had led the MVP rankings since Surrey’s victory over Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl on 18 September.
The key to Jacks’ dominance at the top of the Rankings has been his all-round contribution right throughout this year’s competition. Regularly opening the batting and bowling, Jacks has scored 84.5 points in the former discipline and 67.5 in the latter.
He has also earned seven points for his contributions in the field, which included two catches during Surrey’s six-wicket semi-final victory over Gloucestershire in the semi final.
Such form inspired his side to a run of nine consecutive victories in this year’s Blast tournament, which in turn has also aided Jacks’ MVP position, giving him one bonus point for each of his team’s victories.
He was Surrey’s Player of the Match on two occasions, including a memorable home quarter-final performance against Kent, which saw Jacks make an unbeaten 23 with the bat before returning career best T20 figures of 4-15 with the ball.
The 29.28 MVP points Jacks earned on 1 October was his highest figure in a single T20 fixture this season, and all but sealed Surrey’s place at Finals Day.
His season was not only recognised by the PCA’s MVP algorithm, but also the players themselves as he received a nomination for the Vitality PCA Young Player of the Year award at the NatWest Cricket Awards on Saturday, marking him out as one of the brightest three young talents in English cricket this year.
