Trescothick picks up PCA award

Somerset's former England opener, Marcus Trescothick, has been named the Most Valuable Player for 2009 by the Professional Cricketers' Association.

Trescothick, who was mentioned in dispatches for an England recall ahead of the fifth Ashes Test, scored 2,934 runs across all competitions to earn a points total of 632 in the PCA's ratings system, which was 50 more than his nearest challenger, Ian Blackwell.

Until recently Blackwell was a Somerset colleague of Trescothick's, but he enjoyed a prolific season with his new county, Durham, scoring 1,314 runs and taking 69 wickets to help them secure their second County Championship title in as many seasons.

And there was a Somerset connection in the PCA's bronze-medal position as well, with their wicketkeeper-batsman, Craig Kieswetter, confirming his rich promise only months before he qualifies for England.

Trescothick's overall runs tally was 587 ahead of Warwickshire's Ashes hero, Jonathan Trott, while Essex's Danish Kaneria was highest wicket-taker with 108.