Row over ICC’s no to new rain rule

The efforts of an Indian engineer for over a decade to create an alternative rain rule to the controversial Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) method has gone in vain, at least for now. The International Cricket Council (ICC) cricket committee, which met at the Lord’s Cricket Ground in London last Thursday — considered V. Jayadevan’s theory (known as VJD method) — felt that there was no evidence of any significant flaws in the D/L method sparking off a huge debate with some experts accusing the decision as biased. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar led the attack on the ICC cricket committee, saying: “In all fairness ICC should have tried the Jayadevan method for a year, like they do with trial laws, and then decided.” Gavaskar felt that Indian media failed to back Jayadevan as they were too busy with the Indian Premier League. Meanwhile in England, Jayadevan’s challenge has been seen by a few as another attempt by India, the game’s superpower, to chip away at the influence of the former colonial power and inventor of the game. Leading cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle backed Gavaskar: “It is good to see Gavaskar take up the cause of the Jayadevan’s method. The ICC has been unfair and I’m sure they know it.” These comments led to Tony Greig, the former England batsman, hitting out at Bhogle through a tweet accusing Indians of complaining when they don’t get their way. Greig said: “If the Indians don’t get their way on these issues, Bhogle and co starts whinging.” Jayadevan, an engineer from Kerala, had challenged the D/L method, which over the years has shocked many teams and has been criticised as the most complicated rule in the game. In the 1992 World Cup, South Africa was once at the receiving end of this rule when after resumption due to a rain break they had to score 21 runs off one ball. From Gulf news.