One-day system 'fairest' (16 January 1999)

16 January 1999

One-day system 'fairest'

The Christchurch Press

National umpiring manager Brian Aldridge believes the English Duckworth-Lewis system for calculating interruptions to play in one-day games is the best and fairest operating in world cricket.

Two disrupted internationals between New Zealand and India in three matches have highlighted the system this season which revises run targets.

The calculations, rather unflatteringly dubbed the Vera Duckworth system by some commentators after Coronation Street's Rovers Return publican, was introduced by New Zealand Cricket last season, but was not needed as nine games against Zimbabwe and Australia went off without a hitch.

The loss of play when the lights went out at Taupo in the first New Zealand-India one-dayer and again when wet weather affected the third match in Wellington this week have put the system in the spotlight. Aldridge said the system was the fairest, because it took into account not only the overs batted but also wickets in hand. However, it was also the hardest to understand because of the complex calculations involved regarding the percentage of run scoring resources remaining.

Aldridge had to use a computer at the two games to get the revised targets, although as scorers and umpires are trained in the system they will be able to adjust them by calculator working to a format.

The system has been operating in English county cricket for several seasons and has received substantial support. "No system will ever be perfect but we feel this is the best at present," Aldridge said.

It is likely the calculation method will be used at the World Cup in England in May and June this year with the England Cricket Board as host country able to chose what system it believes is best.

Aldridge said in the Basin Reserve game New Zealand faced a slightly greater target (212) to win than India had scored (208) because when India started its innings it was on the basis of a 44-over game.

It was then reduced because of rain by 12 overs, after seven overs had been bowled, to a 32 overs-a-side game.

In Taupo, the match was stopped with the Black Caps 168 for three and New Zealand was rewarded for being ahead of the required run-rate while also having wickets in reserve, otherwise the recalculation would have been tougher than the revised target of 200.

"If there is a criticism, it is that it is too complicated for people to understand and that's fair enough, but most seem reasonably happy with the outcomes so far," Aldridge said.

Revised targets for interrupted matches have been a bug-bear of the limited-over game ever since it was introduced.

Most systems have produced inequities which have generally favoured the team batting second.

Source :: The Christchurch Press (https://www.press.co.nz/)