Slightly arbitrarily, we've decreed that a chasing side should get the bonus point if they win with 15% of their Duckworth-Lewis resource remaining. For a 50-over match, the targets depend on the number of wickets lost, as follows:
0 wickets - 26 balls 1 wicket - 26 balls 2 wickets - 27 balls 3 wickets - 27 balls 4 wickets - 28 balls 5 wickets - 29 balls 6 wickets - 31 balls 7 wickets - 41 balls 8 wickets - cannot be done 9 wickets - cannot be done
These figures will change if there's a D-L adjusted target, or the match is of fewer than 50 overs.
We've been thinking again about the most ludicrously complex method of running a world cup, yet getting it complete in less time than it takes an elephant to have a baby. The idea of organising the entire tournament as a Double San Marino football playoff appeals.
Tier 4 (qualifiers from ICC) play off against Tier 3 (Ken, Zim, Ireland, Ban as worst ranked side). Winners play against Tier 2 (Ind, Pak, Eng, WI). Winners then play against tier 1, which produces four undefeated teams to reduce to one in the normal manner.
Losers of the first two rounds of matches play off, winners meet the losers from the third round, winners then reduce from four to 2 to meet the defeated round-of-4 sides. Another match provides a single winner to play against the loser of the mini-final. Winner there meets the winner of the mini-final to determine the winner. At any stage, a second defeat sends a side home.
The contest would thus reduce to 30 matches, all of them important in some way, and could certainly be completed in a month or so. The downside, of course, is that the only people able to understand it would be the organisers. And Peter Snow.
10 May, Dhaka. India wins by 5 wickets with 6 balls remaining (DL: 3.6%). Bangladesh 250/7 (47/47 ov); India 251/5 (46/47 ov). India 5, Bangladesh 1.
12 May, Dhaka. India won by 46 runs (19%). India 284/8 (49/49 ov); Bangladesh 238/9 (49/49 ov). India 5, Bangladesh 1.
15 May, Chittagong. Match abandoned without a ball bowled.
AUS 1285 119.7 SL 1151 113.4 NZ 1057 121.5 SA 989 123.9 IND 943 157.2 ENG 939 128.2 PAK 921 179.9 WI 910 121.4 BAN 860 122.9
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