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| Duckworth–Lewis method | |
|---|---|
| Name | Duckworth–Lewis method |
| Sport | Cricket |
| Purpose | Adjust target scores in interrupted limited-overs matches |
| First use | 1997 |
| Developers | Frank Duckworth; Tony Lewis |
| Replaced by | Duckworth–Lewis–Stern method (2014) |
Duckworth–Lewis method is a mathematical procedure used to set revised target scores in limited-overs One Day International and Twenty20 matches interrupted by weather or other delays. The method was developed to balance fairness between batting and fielding sides in situations that involve lost overs and altered innings lengths, and has been applied in major tournaments like the Cricket World Cup and continental competitions such as the ICC Champions Trophy and Asia Cup. Prominent figures associated with its creation include statisticians and academics linked to institutions like University of Oxford and professional bodies such as the Marylebone Cricket Club.
The method models a batting team's remaining scoring resources in terms of overs and wickets to calculate a par score when play is interrupted, used by match officials and tournament organizers including the International Cricket Council and national boards such as the England and Wales Cricket Board and the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Its outputs inform decisions by match referees, umpires from bodies like the International Cricket Council Umpires and Referees panel, and tournament directors for events hosted by venues such as Lord's and the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The approach replaced simpler systems that had been criticized during high-profile competitions like the 1992 Cricket World Cup and later controversies in matches involving teams such as Australia national cricket team and England national cricket team.
Origins trace to work by Frank Duckworth and Tony Lewis in the 1990s, who sought to address problems evident in matches overseen by committees including the International Cricket Council and playing nations such as West Indies cricket team and Pakistan national cricket team. Early adoption followed demonstration matches and consultations with statisticians at institutions such as the Royal Statistical Society and cricket authorities including the Marylebone Cricket Club. The method gained prominence after use in marquee events like the 1997 Ashes series and was formalized for the 2003 Cricket World Cup and subsequent tournaments managed by bodies like the Asian Cricket Council and Cricket Australia.
The method represents batting potential as a two-dimensional resources table parameterized by overs remaining and wickets lost, using statistical fitting techniques akin to those deployed in research at universities such as University of Cambridge and Imperial College London. Model construction used empirical scoring data from domestic competitions like the County Championship and international fixtures involving teams such as India national cricket team and South Africa national cricket team, applying exponential decay and regression methods familiar to scholars at institutions like the London School of Economics and mathematical societies like the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications. Implementation requires lookup tables and interpolation procedures used by match officials, statisticians, and scoreboard operators at venues including the Eden Gardens and the Sydney Cricket Ground.
In practice, the method calculates a revised target by comparing the batting resources available at interruption for both teams, a process used during matches in tournaments such as the ICC T20 World Cup and bilateral series involving New Zealand national cricket team and Sri Lanka national cricket team. Notable applications include controversial finishes in fixtures at venues like Headingley and Perth Stadium, where umpires from panels like the ICC Emirates Elite Panel of Umpires applied the method in real time. Scoreboard software produced by technology providers and broadcasters such as Sky Sports and ESPN integrates the tables to display par scores for commentators and analysts from outlets like the BBC and The Guardian.
Critics from media outlets including The Daily Telegraph and analysts affiliated with cricket clubs like Sussex County Cricket Club have argued that the method can favor one team depending on innings phase, prompting debate in parliamentary inquiries and sports law discussions referencing bodies like the European Court of Human Rights in analogous fairness debates. High-profile disputes in matches involving teams such as Australia national cricket team and South Africa national cricket team fueled calls from commentators at publications like Wisden and players' associations such as the Marylebone Cricket Club Players' forum for revisions, while statisticians at organizations like the Royal Statistical Society debated the underlying assumptions.
The original method underwent formal revision and rebranding to the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern method, with updates influenced by research from academics at institutions like the University of Sheffield and consultants including Steven Stern, adopted by the International Cricket Council in 2014 and employed alongside rule changes ratified by governing bodies such as the International Cricket Council Executive Board. Subsequent technical adjustments involved recalibration using data from competitions like the Indian Premier League and expert panels convened by entities such as the Marylebone Cricket Club and national boards including the Cricket South Africa.
Adoption of the method influenced captaincy and coaching decisions by figures associated with franchises like Mumbai Indians and national teams such as England national cricket team, affecting declarations on aggressive batting and bowling changes in tournaments like the Big Bash League and the Caribbean Premier League. Analysts at broadcasters including Sky Sports and statistical services like the Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians incorporated resource tables into performance metrics, prompting academic studies at universities such as University of Melbourne and policy deliberations by sporting bodies such as the International Cricket Council on competitive balance and tournament integrity.
Category:Cricket rules