Hales hot on the heels of Shahzad

Nottinghamshire batsman Alex Hales has closed in on MVP leaderAjmal Shahzad after continuing his outstanding LV= County Championship form this week.

The 26-year-old followed his career-best 236 against champions Yorkshire last week with scores of 141 and 94 versus Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl, taking his Division One run-tally for the season to 510 in three matches.

Hales has accumulated his runs at a rate of 69 per 100 balls and has earned bonus points for registering 30 per cent of Notts’ total on three occasions.

Hales, named in England’s squad for the one-day international in Ireland on May 8, is now 10 points behind former team-mate Shahzad, who has 113 after taking his wicket-tally for the campaign to 20 with eight in Sussex’s defeat to Durham this week.

Tim Bresnan, also in the England party, has impressed with both bat and ball for champions Yorkshire, hitting 119 runs and taking 14 wickets, and is third in the rankings.

Adam Voges and Chris Rushworth are fourth and fifth in the standings after starring in wins for Middlesex and Durham respectively.

Middlesex skipper Voges fell two runs short of a century in the first innings at Taunton before going one better second time around, helping his side chase 402 on the final day with 132.

Seamer Rushworth took 3-78 and 5-81 in Durham’s victory over Sussex, leaving him with 14 in two Division One matches this term.

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