NEW DELHI, 11 February 2004 — The International Cricket Council (ICC) hope to minimize the role of the Duckworth-Lewis rain rule by announcing reserve days for all matches at this year’s Champions Trophy in England.
“There are reserve days for all matches. This means there will be no Duckworth-Lewis recalculations (used to decide rain-affected matches) on the first scheduled match day,” the ICC said in a statement yesterday.
“If a match cannot be completed on the scheduled day, play will continue into the following day where recalculations can be made it required,” it added.
Rain played a spoilsport in the 2002 Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka where only the final match had a reserve day, but without any provision to continue the game next day. Only one innings was completed in the final between India and Sri Lanka on the first day, but the teams started afresh the next day only to be thwarted by rain again. They were eventually declared joint-winners.
The 12-team tournament, regarded as the mini World Cup, opens, ironically, with a match between England and Zimbabwe on Sept. 10 at Edgbaston.
England, who, boycotted their 2003 World Cup game in Zimbabwe, appear reluctant to tour that country for a Test series later this year. In another mouth-watering clash at the same venue, archrivals India will meet with Pakistan on Sept.19.
The teams have been divided into four groups, with the group winners qualifying for the semifinals. World champions Australia have been placed in Group A along with New Zealand and a qualifier to be decided after a six-nation tournament in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, this month.
Canada, Holland, Namibia, Scotland, the UAE and the United States will contest the Sharjah qualifiers. The Champions Trophy will be played at three venues in England — Edgbaston in Birmingham, The Oval in London and the Rosebowl in Southampton.
The final will be held at The Oval on Sept. 25.
