Poor Jayadevan! At least ICC should have tried the Jayadevan method for a year: Gavaskar

Poor V Jayadevan, says Sunil Gavaskar, writing in The Times Of India that the ICC has once again rejected his method of calculating target scores in weather-affected limited-overs matches and decided to retain the Duckworth/Lewis system. This is despite Jayadevan showing that there were errors in the D/L method. Unfortunately, with the Indian media busy with the IPL, Jayadevan was unable to get the support that could have made a difference.

“The ICC entrusted the comparison of the two methods to an Englishman like — just like Messrs Duckworth and Lewis — who also happens to be on its cricket committee. Just imagine the ruckus that the overseas media — especially the British — would have made if an Indian was given the job of evaluating two methods, one of them belonging to an Indian.  Jayadevan used to find faults with the Duckworth/Lewis method and bring it to the notice of the ICC, which would then pass it on to Duckworth/Lewis. The  corrections would be made and the status quo maintained. So naturally, the Duckworth/Lewis method kept getting retained. In all fairness ICC should have tried the Jayadevan method for a year, like they do with trial laws, and then decided,” adds Gavaskar.

According to a report in the DNA, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee once again batted for Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan when she requested union minister Vilas Rao Deshmukh for reconsideration of the five-year ban by Mumbai Cricket Association on the KKR owner. Banerjee took up the matter with Deshmukh, who had accompanied the prime minister Manmohan Singh during the latter’s three-hour visit to the city on Saturday, sources said.

Meanwhile New Zealand vice-captain Brendon McCullum has said that troubled batsman Jesse Ryder will need to “re-earn” the respect of the team whenever he makes a comeback to the international fold. “Who knows what the game’s got installed for Jesse in the next 6-12 months... he’s got to do what makes him happy, get himself back to where he needs to be. His talent his unquestionable but I guess his respect within the team needs to be continued to be re-earned,” McCullum was quoted as saying by ‘Radiosport’.

According to media reports England are considering leaving spearhead fast bowler James Anderson out of their team for next week’s third Test against the West Indies at Edgbaston in order to give the Lancashire seamer a rest. The hosts, 2-0 up in the three-match series, are due to name their squad on Sunday. Reports in the British press on Saturday indicated Anderson could be omitted for the ‘dead’ match, with England facing another crowded home international programme.