The Duckworth/Lewis method of resetting targets in rain-affected one-day cricket matches has now been in use for well over two years and has been adopted for use in most test playing countries of the world.

The method is the invention of Frank Duckworth and Tony Lewis. Frank is a consultant statistician and editor of the Royal Statistical Society's monthly news magazine, RSS NEWS. Tony is a lecturer in mathematical subjects in the Faculty of Computer Studies and Mathematics at the University of the West of England, Bristol and chairman of the Western Branch of the Operational Research Society

The method that they have invented is simple to apply provided one is prepared to take a few minutes to understand its logic. The calculations can easily be performed using nothing more than a single table of numbers and a pocket calculator although a purpose built computer program is available to undertake the calculations accurately and quickly in match situations .

With a little practice, however, there is no reason why anyone should not be able to calculate the revised target and in quick time.