The all-rounder revelled in an unfamiliar role as opening batter, topping the run scoring charts with 616 across nine innings, while also taking 11 wickets as he helped Warwickshire reach the semi-finals.
Barnard struck his maiden List A century with a classy 161 against Durham and then reached three figures again the very next match as his score of 100 proved vital in the Bears’ nail-biting final group game at Sussex.
He also scored three fifties during the tournament, finishing with an average of 77, whilst his wickets came at 24.63 runs apiece, with his best figures being 3-14 against his former team, Worcestershire.
The Player of the Year is selected by the PCA Most Valuable Player Rankings.
Barnard led the standings throughout the majority of the competition to win the award.
The formula enables players to score or lose MVP points on every ball based on their expected performance for that ball in comparison to CricViz’s extensive historical database of 50-over fixtures, with the match venue also taken into account.
Barnard finished with an MVP points total of 180.55, while he was also the highest ranked batter in the competition. Furthermore, his four Match MVP awards helped him top the charts to win the £2,500 prize.
Barnard said: “I’m proud of the last month. It’s a competition we take seriously so to put in some good performances and get ourselves to the knockout stages was great.
“For the most part it was a fine competition. I thought we played some good cricket, winning seven out of eight in the group stages and even the one we lost was a close game.
“To fall short at the semi-final hurdle was disappointing, especially after the performances we’d put in previously. Hopefully we can go one step further next season.”
Young Gloucestershire batter Ollie Price finished second in the standings after a similarly brilliant tournament. He scored 575 runs at an average of 82.14 to record the third highest batting MVP points haul behind Barnard.
Bears had further reason to celebrate as their PCA Rep Oliver Hannon-Dalby finished as the leading wicket taker in the competition. He snared 24 victims in total at an average of 13.20 and was the highest ranked bowler in the MVP standings.
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