From the absurd 'most productive overs' to DLS — how cricket has struggled with rain interruptions for decades.
The Problem
Rain has always been cricket's great disruptor. In Test cricket, lost time simply means fewer overs — matches can end in draws. But in limited-overs cricket, where a result is expected, rain creates the problem of fairness: how do you set a revised target that gives both teams an equal chance?
Average Run Rate Method
The earliest method simply divided the first team's total by the number of overs they faced, then multiplied by the reduced overs available. This was deeply unfair because it didn't account for wickets in hand or the natural acceleration of scoring in the later overs.
Most Productive Overs
Used in the 1992 World Cup, this method identified the least productive overs for the bowling side and removed them from the target. This produced the infamous scenario where South Africa, needing 22 off 13 balls, suddenly needed 22 off 1 ball after a rain delay. The method was universally condemned as absurd.
The D/L Solution
Statisticians Frank Duckworth and Tony Lewis developed their resource-based method specifically to address these failures. By calculating the 'resources' available to each team (combination of overs and wickets), they created a far more equitable system.
The D/L method was first used in international cricket in 1997 and was adopted for the 1999 World Cup. While not perfect, it was a quantum leap from previous methods.
DLS (Stern Revision)
In 2014, Professor Steven Stern updated the method to better reflect modern scoring rates, particularly the higher run rates in T20 cricket and the evolution of ODI batting. The method was renamed DLS in his honor.
Related Articles
What is the DLS Method?
A complete explanation of the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method — how cricket calculates revised targets in rain-affected matches.
1992 World Cup Rain Rule Disaster — 22 Off 1 Ball
The most infamous rain rule moment in cricket — South Africa needed 22 off 13 balls, then rain reduced it to 22 off 1 ball.
The VJD Method — India's Rejected Alternative
Indian engineer V. Jayadevan proposed an alternative to D/L that some experts considered superior, but the ICC rejected it.