KEY POINTS:
New Zealand Cricket has introduced a ranking system to measure the performance of players in domestic competitions this summer.
The Most Valuable Player (MVP) system which was developed by the Professional Cricketers' Association in England will allow all aspects of a player's game to give him a ranking in relation to his peers.
Heath Mills, executive manager for the New Zealand Cricket Players Association was excited about the initiative which will begin from Monday when the first State Championship four-day match of the season gets under way.
"The system has been developed by players, for the players and is truly reflective of their view of the game. It is the players' statistic," he said.
"We have worked closely with the PCA in England to secure the rights to the MVP system, and are confident its introduction will not only take fan and player involvement in the domestic season to the next level but that it is also the best indicator to date of a players overall performance and contribution to his team during the season."
A cumulative points system rewards players for every run scored, every wicket taken and every catch held throughout the season.
A player also achieves bonus points based on other criteria important to the outcome of the match.
New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan said cricket was a multi-skilled sport and that the MVP system would add a new element to the domestic game.
"The MVP adds an extra dimension to traditional measures of success such as averages," he said.
"It will be used to identify the overall domestic cricket MVP, but we will also drill down to find the MVP in each domestic competition, each team, each month and each season.
"Obviously in the future the MVP has potential to influence key decisions such as annual awards and contracts but the main benefits of the system are definitely for the players and the fans."
- NZPA
