Tony Lewis, one of the men behind Duckworth-Lewis method, passes away at 78

Known for coming up with the Duckworth-Lewis rule for limited overs cricket, Tony Lewis died at 78 on 1 April.

Representational image. Getty Images

The Duckworth–Lewis method is a formula to calculate how much a team which is batting second needs to score when the game is interrupted by adverse weather conditions.

Devised as a result of the outcome to the semi-final in the 1992 World Cup between England and South Africa, the D/L method was first used in international cricket on 1 January, 1997, in the second match of the Zimbabwe versus England ODI series. While the method was first introduced in 1997, it was adopted officially by the ICC in 1999.

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The England Cricket Board took to their website to reveal the news of the Lewis’ death. “It is with much sadness that the ECB has learned of the passing of Tony Lewis MBE, aged 78."

Tony received an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for his services to cricket and mathematics in 2010.

Frank Duckworth was the other person responsible for the Duckworth-Lewis rule.

In 2014, the name of Steven Stern, an Australian professor was added to the Duckworth-Lewis method officially making it the DLS method after he made his own adjustments to reflect modern scoring rates.