Wet weather and Duckworth-Lewis dictates fate of Heat

RAIN, hail and shine. Three weather events synonymous with a Queensland summer, yet only one of those can sustain a game of cricket.

Scorchers players celebrate victory after the Big Bash League match between the Brisbane Heat and the Perth Scorchers at The Gabba on December 18, 2012 in Brisbane, Australia. . Picture: Matt Roberts / Getty Images

RAIN, hail and shine. Three weather events synonymous with a Queensland summer, yet only one of those can sustain a game of cricket.

This week the Brisbane Heat was a victim of the former, courtesy of Duckworth-Lewis.

Evening storms were the flavour of the week as we took on the Perth Scorchers at the Gabba on Tuesday night.

Batting first, our innings was cut short on 4-109 from 13 overs when rain intervened.

When the skies finally cleared, Duckworth-Lewis decided the Scorchers needed 51 runs from five overs, with all 10 wickets in hand.

It was an emotional roller coaster for the boys, as we went from holding the momentum to chasing it in the space of a few deliveries.

I have no doubt we could have set close to 200 from a full 20 overs the way we were batting - that would have been a daunting chase for the West Coasters.

Twenty20 can be a funny game at the best of times, but when you throw the added confusion of the Duckworth-Lewis method into the mix it can create all sorts of problems.

It was a different feeling for the bowlers when we stepped out to bowl our five overs, knowing the Scorchers could go as hard as possible with 10 wickets up their sleeve.

More often then not, the D/L method favours the team batting second, and I'd like to see that change.

My suggestion is that if a team has 10 wickets in hand for a full 20-over game, and that number of overs is reduced because of the weather, then the wickets in hand should be reduced in accordance with the percentage of overs to be played.

For instance, if a team is to bat seven overs, which is 35% of the full 20-over allotment, then potential wickets in hand would be reduced by 65%. Of course more often then not, this equation will fall to a decimal place.

In this instance I suggest rounding up, because as always, the benefit of the doubt goes to the batsman.

That would leave the team batting second four wickets in hand, chasing whatever total was deemed by the D/L method.

The general consensus among players and support staff is the D/L method is not suitable for the T20 format and something needs to be changed.

I was no genius at mathematics throughout my schooling and I realise there are probably a few loopholes and issues with my theory when related to different circumstances, but I'm sure they could be fleshed out by someone more qualified with numbers then I am to produce a more equitable situation than we have at present.

Originally published as Wet weather and Duckworth-Lewis dictates fate of Heat