Is Cricket Really This Complicated?

[toalisi]

As an occasional cricket viewer I am struggling to understand exactly
what happened in today's match in Cardiff between South Africa
and the West Indies.

The match should have been played with each side bowling 50 overs
and the team with the highest total winning.
As it rained, instead of 50 overs, the authorities decided there was only
time for 31 overs per side.
South Africa made 230 for 6 wickets meaning the West Indies needed 231
in no more than 31 overs. So far so good.
It started raining again with the West Indies on 190 for 6 wickets but the match was declared a tie!! Something called Duckworth & Lewis had made this decision but, to complicate things further, South Africa were promoted to the next round because of a superior run rate (whatever that is).

I am utterly confused and have to wonder why cricket is so difficult to
understand & sympathise with the Americans.

[bednobs]

see here for an explanation of the d/l method http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duckworth%E2%80%93Lewis_method
good luck!

[toalisi]

Thanks ( I think!).

It clearly was designed to produce a winner in rain affected matches,
but can it arrive at a Tie and yet put one side through to the next
phase on a run rate (please explain) Why can't the match be played to it's proper conclusion the next day?

[humbersloop]

It's because this tournament, the International Cricket Council Champions Trophy, is a series of one-day matches. Hope this link helps

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limited_overs_cricket

[Jessy pie]

Some rain affected results are decided on "net run rate",which is (runs scored per over divided by runs conceded per over),also as it is a one day tournament being played in a congested fixture list,(with the possibility of poor weather),there is no time to allocate days to replay fixtures.

[Gusssss]

That's slightly misleading. The net run rate only applies to the final table taking into account the net run rate - i.e. total runs scored per over minus total runs conceded per over - in ALL matches. Individual matches are never decided by this method as it was deemed to be unfair.

For example, let's say the team batting first started out thinking they had 50 overs to play and scored 100 off the first 25, thinking they could 'have a thrash' later in the innings, as is the custom, especially for England (who scored 10% of their total in the last over last week). Then the rain comes down and by the time it stops there is only enough time left in the day for another, say, 20 overs, and so the first team's innings is closed and the team batting second gets those 20.

Now, pro rata, their target should be just 81 to win, however they know firstly they only have 20 overs and are unlikely to be bowled out in that time so they can be more adventurous, and secondly they can do any acceleration needed in their scoring in the 15-20 over period, whereas the first team lost their chance to do this. The second team suddenly has a massive advantage merely through the weather.

Several possible solutions to this were tried, including one which left South Africa suddenly needing 22 runs off 1 ball when it had been 22 off 7 before the rain,

http://www.espncricinfo.com/wctimeline/content/story/280142.html

Then Mssrs Duckworth and Lewis did a statistical analysis of all previous matches and worked out exactly what the targets should be, based on the overs and wickets remaining for the second team. Initially this would mean a target of a fraction of a run but that was amended to a whole number, allowing for the tie.

While commentators who should know better always say how complicated it is, in reality it is quite intuitive and fair, except for one or two exceptional circumstances.

[Gusssss]

Obviously a team gets 2 points for a win, and just one for a tie, and only if two or more teams finish level on points after all three matches is net run rate used to decide which one goes through.

[pixie373]

Yes. I understood about four words of your post

[Gusssss]

Incidentally, baseball is a much more complicated and intricate game than cricket, which basically is just a hit it and run game, while the former with its sacrifice flies, walks, base stealing and triple plays is a lot more obscure.

[Gusssss]

Booooooo.

[Tilly2]

I'm watching Stuart. Oh, a no ball!

[weecalf]

Because the rain comes in to play so to speak they had to ask some one with Duck in their name to sort it out I think

[Tilly2]

Not a no ball! Goody, good.