Twenty20 Twist to Rain Rule

It's raining on the Kingsmead, Durban and the start of the India-Scotland match has been delayed. India would not want to miss out on the points and more importantly the batting and bowling practise that the match would provide. Tonight ICC may actually come to the rescue of the Indian team.

The Playing Conditions of the T20 World Cup have seen an important (and sensible) change to rules regarding the resumption of the game if the match gets disrupted by rain.

Law 3.9 - Suspension of play for adverse conditions of ground, weather or light
Laws 3.8 and 3.9 shall apply subject to the following:

3.5.1 If conditions during a rain stoppage improve and the rain is reduced to drizzle, the umpires must consider if they would have suspended play in the first place under similar conditions. If both on-field umpires agree that the current drizzle would not have caused a stoppage, then play shall resume immediately. In these circumstances the provisions of Laws 3.9 (b) (i) and 3.9 (c) (i) shall not apply.

The previous rule was that 'once play was stopped due to rain, resumption could only happen when the rain came to a complete stop'. That stringency has now been relaxed, thankfully as India may realize later tonight.

Scotching Australia

"It's 11 against 11 - if we can bowl and bat to our plans and put them under pressure we've got a chance of causing a shock."

- Majid Haq, Scotland All-rounder

Way to go, Mr. Haq. Me, a certain Mr. Sunil Gavaskar, at least one reader of this blog and the entire northern hemisphere and most of south too is right behind you. Go get them. Come hard at the Aussies - they are down in the dumps already. Bangladesh has done it before, can't see why Scotland cannot. Ask Glenn to sledge back, if need be - afterall he was born in the homeland of sledging. He should be able to teach Ponting and his mates a thing or two!

ps: I'm just kidding, and still very much a gentleman. And, cricket is our game. Not the sledgers'.



reference:
ICC Cricket World Cup 2007: Group A, Scotland vs Australia, March 14th 2007 - Warner Park, St. Kitts.
Glenn Rogers, Scotland bowler was born in Australia.



*******
Pakistan lost to West Indies in Match 1 at Sabina Park, Jamaica - 13th March, MOM: Dwayne Smith, WI won by 54 runs. Tomorrow's second match: Canada vs Kenya, St Lucia (Group C)