Richard Gleeson’s career-best match figures helped Northamptonshire clinch a thrilling victory over Leicestershire in the Specsavers County Championship and gave him a personal best haul of 25 points in the Professional Cricketers’ Association Most Valuable Player Rankings.

Gleeson made his mark in his first championship appearance of the season following his return from injury by taking seven for 142 in the match and four for 109 in Leicestershire’s second innings as Northamptonshire held their nerve to clinch a two runs win in the East Midlands derby.

The 29- year-old Lancastrian earned 10 points in Leicestershire’s first innings and 13 in the second and added a further point for being on the winning side.

Gleeson’s efforts more than doubled his PCA MVP points for the season having accrued only 17 in six appearances in the Royal London One Day Cup.

The PCA MVP Rankings system identifies the match-winners and key influencers of matches throughout the domestic season.

The formula takes into account conditions, quality of opposition, captaincy and strike-rates as well as runs scored and wickets taken.

Paceman Ben Sanderson is Northamptonshire’s highest-placed player in the overall PCA MVP in 40^th position with 171 points in all formats.

Sanderson took nine wickets in the match against Derbyshire last week and added five more in the win over Leicestershire which gave him a handy match haul of 23 rankings points.

Nathan Buck, a winter recruit from Lancashire, is 74^th in the rankings table on 131 points with Northamptonshire captain Alex Wakely 75^th, Rob Newton 88^thand Rory Kleinveldt 91^st.

Wakely made a second innings century against Leicestershire which made up almost 39 per cent of Northamptonshire’s runs and earned him 23 batting points towards a PCA MVP match haul of 26.

In the County Championship PCA MVP, Sanderson is also Northamptonshire’s leading player in 23^rd position with 122 points.

Buck is three places further back with Kleinveldt in 43^rd position, Wakely 84^th and Ben Duckett also in the top 100 in 98^th place.

Duckett boosted his points aggregate with a century in the first session against Leicestershire. His runs made up almost 43 per cent of Northamptonshire’s total and  gave Duckett 25 batting points towards a match haul of 29 rankings points.

The PCA MVP Rankings can be viewed here.

About the PCA MVP Rankings:

The PCA MVP Rankings system was introduced in 2007 and was designed by the players to identify the match-winners and key influencers of matches throughout the domestic season.

The formula gives full credit to those players whose performances improve their team’s chances of winning. Points are accrued for all runs scored and wickets taken, these are then adjusted within the context of the match to take into account strike rates and economy rates.

Runs gain more points if they are scored quickly or in low-scoring contests. Top order wickets are judged more valuable than those that fall later.