Frank Duckworth Passes Away: Frank Duckworth, co-inventor of the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method, breathed his last on June 21. He died at 84. Named originally the Duckworth-Lewis method, the method was devised by Duckworth along with fellow statistician Tony Lewis. The method has been deployed to determine results in rain-affected cricket matches. Lewis had already passed in 2020 aged 78.
Now a popular and widely accepted method in international cricket, it was first used in an international cricket match in 1997. In 2001, the method was formally adopted by the ICC as the standard method to determine revised targets in matches that were shortened due to inclement weather conditions.
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Afghanistan vs Bangladesh T20 World Cup 2024 Match Saw The Usage Of DLS Method
Even in the latest high-profile international cricket matches, the Afghanistan vs Bangladesh T20 World Cup 2024, in which the Afghans beat the Bangla Tigers, to seal a place in a semifinal of any World Cup for the first time ever, saw the usage of the DLS method. Before the introduction of the DLS method, authorities had a tough time to determine the target for a run-chase in rain-interruped games.
Perhaps the most infamous example was the 1992 ODI World Cup when South Africa’s target of 22 runs to win from 13 deliveries was was re-calculated to 22 to win off one ball, robbing the Proteas of a chance to proceed further in the competition. After the original formula, some modifications were later introduced by Australian statistician Steven Stern which led to his name being added to the mathematical way of determining the total.
Both the English statisticans Duckworth and Lewis were awarded Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBEs) in June 2020 for their contribution to world cricket.