Friday 4 April 2014

Fair Play or No way


The idea of Duckworth Lewis is so far fetched and complex that I'm sure Frank Duckworth and Tony Lewis are the only ones that fully understand the mathematical formulation.

The idea of D/L is to calculate the target score for the team batting second in a limitless overs match due to interruptions such as weather or other circumstances. The basic principle is that the Duckworth Lewis should re-evaluate the target score set by the first batting team and adjust it to make it a fair match.

  1. "For each team's innings
    (a) from the table note the resource percentage the team had available at the start of their innings;
    (b) using the table, calculate the resource percentage lost by each interruption;
    (c) hence calculate the resource percentage available.
  2. If Team 2 have less resources available than Team 1, then calculate the ratio of the resources available to the two teams. Team 2's revised target is obtained by scaling down Team 1's score by this ratio.
  3. If Team 2 have more resources available than Team 1, then calculate the amount by which Team 2's resource percentage exceeds Team 1's. Work out this excess as a percentage of 225 [the average 50 over score in ECB matches and one-day internationals (ODIs)] and this gives the extra runs to add on to Team 1's score to give Team 2's target." (http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ABOUT_CRICKET/RAIN_RULES/DUCKWORTH_LEWIS.html) 

Although this is supposed to be the most fair method, is it, is it really? there has been many a time where the result has said to be "unfair" or "not the right outcome" such as recently England v New Zeland in the T20 World Cup or another England T20 game against West Indies. There have also been a number of players, past and present, that have scrutinised the way that the D/L method works such as Paul Collingwood. 

But if the Duckworth Lewis method is a flop and isn't working to the teams advantage then who is going to be the next "genius" that will work out a new method of what to do if rain stops play or other unfortunate circumstances that stop the game, because I assure you it will not be any of the players. 

If the games are being played in a major competition like a World Cup or in the IPL should both sides just be given a point. Some may think this is unfair as there may be a clear winning side, however when looking at T20 games is there ever a clear winner, in some cases such as the recent World Cup the West Indies were able to double their score in the last 5 overs so anything is possible?! 



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