REVISED PLAY

South Africa is called chokers because they fail to rise on crucial occasions. But it all started since their comeback into Int’l cricket in 1992, when they are thrashed out of Semi-final of World Cup in Sydney against England from a winning position thanks to rain. In a full limited overs cricket match, when rain stops play the target is revised according to Duckworth-Lewis method. In 1992, it was South Africa’s luck since D/L method came into the fray in 1999. According to D/L rules, if rain stops play midway in first innings or after 1st innings, the revised target is calculated as 3/4th of the total runs scored in the 1st innings with stipulated overs & if play is stopped in between 2nd innings after 20 overs bowled, then winners/losers are decided on the calculated scores & no. of wickets fallen, earlier it was 25 overs. But here, the calculating is in question. Kerala’s Vijay Jayadevan’s VJD method, which applies in India’s domestic circuit, is a fierce competitor of D/L method. He, with his presentation of applying VJD method, approached ICC recently but was straightaway rejected as ICC wants a better method than D/L.

It’s not that ICC was fully wrong. Obviously they want a better method which would challenge D/L & reduce confusion from captains’ mind over calculation of runs in a rain shortened match. It’s just that the way the meeting has gone creates a doubt over ICC’s preference. According to Jayadevan, ICC sent the friend of the William Duckworth & Tony Lewis, the inventor of D/L to look at his presentation, which, according to ICC, was the only option available to them. Jayadevan’s calculation of runs weren’t much different from D/L, but it emphasizes only the runs & overs rather than wickets fallen unlike the currently used method. Now as he approaching Dalmiya with his improved VJD method, it would be interesting to see how India approaches ICC to adopt the new method of playing conditions provided Jayadevan satisfy Dalmiya with it. But to get succeed, VJD has to better D/L for sure & for ICC, they should form a diplomatic panel to look at it if the current panel is not honest.