Good Afternoon All,
As you would be aware with rain interruptions during matches last Saturday, it gave us as the first opportunity to implement the new Duckworth / Lewis Calculator to determine a second innings target in a one day game whereby the second innings had reduced overs. No matter all the good intentions or how many practice runs the system had, nothing proves more beneficial than real time under the pressure of match conditions.
This indeed proved to be the case here as last Saturday clearly not all used the system under the same formula. Whilst the majority of completed games who used the Duckworth / Lewis Calculator implemented a “fixed” figure target score – that being calculating the target required prior to commencement and the team batting second chasing that figure while the bowling team were required to restrict them reaching that targeted figure. Other games chose not to use Duckworth / Lewis and elected to accept a draw whilst in another scenario a game adopted the more advanced ICC Duckworth / Lewis / Stern model which essentially continues to be a “rolling” target – the figure altering on the fall of wickets.
This method is accepted as the fairest system for both competing teams at International level as it gives further reward to the bowling team with wickets taken however it is easy to understand on television when you have multiple computers and scores regularly re-calculating in real time – unfortunately this is untenable and way too difficult to implement at a grass roots level of cricket. In the game where this occurred, it created confusion between the two teams – even though a result was eventually achieved.
After a substantial debrief of the scenarios which unfolded last Saturday from a number of games and parties involved the VTCA Executive have determined that if rain interruptions occur again and we are required to use the Duckworth / Lewis Calculator then the only model to be used will be to implement a set target figure. Moving forward a floating target will not be an acceptable target and will not be recognized by the VTCA.
Further from discussions from Saturday’s participants – some suggested the current Duckworth / Lewis Calculator on the VTCA Team App was difficult to use or interpret. After looking into other models we have identified a Duckworth / Lewis Calculator which can be downloaded directly onto your phone from either the Apple Store or Google Play at no charge.
Again moving forward the approved Duckworth Lewis calculator is the Tarams Inc. “Duckworth Lewis Calculator” available as a free download from both the Apple Store and Google Play Store. This is the only calculator that sis acceptable for use in all VTCA approved matches. Those clubs using the live scoring app on My Cricket – the Duckworth / Lewis calculator on My Cricket does not supersede this one – The Tarams Calculator is our approved and accepted model. The current model on the VTCA Team App will be removed to avoid any further confusion.
Attached you will find a screenshot of the App and detailed instructions on how to calculate a set target. Hopefully this elevates any further confusion using this process in the future. Please be reminded the use of the Duckworth / Lewis System is only applicable in First XI matches Only.
Our apologies for any confusion over the past weekend and we thank you for your ongoing cooperation.
Steve McNamara
VTCA President