Patel pips Stevens to MVP

Jeetan Patel has rounded off a memorable season by taking the coveted title of county cricket’s FTI Most Valuable Player and – courtesy of sponsor FTI Consulting – a cheque for £10,000.

The Warwickshire overseas star had been closing in steadily on long-time leader Darren Stevensand hit the front for the first time with one day of the season remaining.

Patel scored 45 and took four wickets in Warwickshire’s final match as they defeated Durham inside three days to clinch second place in the LV= County Championship.

He took 24 points from the game but had to endure a nervous wait as Stevens began the final day of the season unbeaten on 19 in Kent’s match versus Gloucestershire at the Spitfire Ground.

Stevens, who had led the FTI MVP rankings from early July, needed a score of around 70 to get his nose back in front but he was caught off left-arm spinner Tom Smith for 47 to fall four points short.

Patel, an ever-present for Warwickshire, played more matches than anyone else in the country (41), amassing 608 runs and 107 wickets across all forms of the game.

He was the leading wicket-taker in both the Royal London One-Day Cup and the NatWest T20 Blast with 23 and 25 scalps respectively and it was his 4-25 in the final of the Royal London Cup that cut Stevens’ lead from 20 points to just one ahead of the final round of matches.

In the championship Patel scored 510 runs, including a century against Middlesex, and took 59 wickets with a best of 5-49 at the Emirates Durham ICG. He took three wickets in an innings on 11 other occasions.

Patel has now taken 50-plus wickets in each of the last three seasons: in Warwickshire’s championship-winning year of 2012 he took 51 wickets and scored 221 runs and he backed that up with 52 wickets and 438 runs in 2013.

Patel said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have won the FTI Most Valuable Player title. It was a great race and finished a tremendous season for me and the boys. I certainly couldn’t have done it without them.

“When I look at the talent I was up against – guys like Darren Stevens, Jim Allenby, Tom Smith, Peter Trego and Samit Patel, who bat, bowl and field well across all forms, it makes me very proud to have come out on top.”

John Waples, UK head of strategic communications at FTI Consulting, said: “Jeetan Patel has had an outstanding season for Warwickshire.

“He has taken over 100 wickets in all formats of the game, proving what a true all-rounder he is by being able to adapt his game to the match situation as required.

“By helping his team win the T20 final for the first time he has made an indelible mark on county cricket.

“It is pleasing that the FTI MVP rankings have helped to identify the stand-out cricketer of the season.”

Jason Ratcliffe, assistant chief executive of the PCA, said: “Anybody who takes this title will have had an exceptional season across all formats.

“To take 107 wickets and score over 500 runs proves the point, making major contributions to Warwickshire’s successful season.

“Jeetan stands in great company with previous winners and must surely be one of the best overseas players county cricket has seen for some time.”

OVERALL COUNTY FTI MVP

Previous winners                             Points

2013    Moeen Ali                               600                 

2012    Peter Trego                            501

2011    Marcus Trescothick                597

2010    Neil Carter                              643

2009    Marcus Trescothick                632

2008    Martin Van Jaarsveld             553

2007    Ottis Gibson                           736