From: pvr@argo.rice.edu (PVR Narasimha Rao)
Subject: Andhra v Hyd farce (1990) (Re: Ranji Trophy Rules)
Organization: Rice University, Houston, Texas
Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1992 04:04:21 GMT

In article <1992Jul24.200421.22176@leland.Stanford.EDU>, urajan@leland.Stanford.EDU (Uday Rajan) writes:

|> I don't remember the bonus point rules for the Ranji Trophy, but I do 
|> remember that there was a time when the bowling side was penalized by
|> 4 (or was it 5) runs an over for every over below a target rate of 
|> 15(?) per hour. Anyone know if such a rule is still in effect, or whether
|> something like this has been tried anywhere else in the world? Seems a 
|> little arbitrary, but monetary fines wouldn't be meaningful at that level;
|> a better idea may be to have a minimum number of overs bowled per day.
|> 
|> Uday 


When the new rules were laid down for the 1990-91 season, they had a similar
crazy rule. But the penalty wasn't 4 or 5 runs per over - it was 12 runs per
over! However, the rule came under heavy criticism and, I guess, they changed
it in the next year.

There was a particular match in which the arbitrariness of the rule was
exposed. In the match between Andhra and Hyderabad, Andhra players put up a
spirited show [they outplayed the Hyd players in that match] and the match
was heading towards a draw. However, the Andhra captain who hadn't given up
hopes of winning that match (they needed just a few wickets) persisted with
his medium pacers hoping to pick up the remaining wickets and win the match.

After sometime, Hyd scorer sensed that they would get bonus points (of around
120!) if they wasted sometime (to add to that, Andhra captain waas using only
seamers!) and sent signals to Vivek Jaisimha (who was at the crease). The
batsmen cleverly wasted sometime and made sure they would get the required
bonus points (at 12 per over!) to make the target. And, they finally did!

After the time was over, Andhra captain, though unhappy that Andhra missed a
chance to win the match by just a few wickets, was happy since they drew with
a strong team like Hyderabad. All the Andhra players (and even the manager and
the scorer) thought the match was a draw (I think even the umpires thought so
until the Hyd scorer pointed it out to them, but I'm not sure)!

When informed that they lost the match because the bonus points (of around 120)
gave a win to Hyd, Andhra players were totally shocked. After all, they were
just a couple of wickets away from winning the match and the target was far
away for Hyd to make without bonus points! It must've been a thoroughly
demoralizing experience for the poor guys!

Nothing can be taken away from the professionalism of the Hyd scorer and the
amateurish approach of Andhra captain, manager and scorer (they didn't even
know the new rule according to a press statement!!), but there is something
that makes one sympathize the Andhra players ....


--------
PVR Narasimha [SRT is simply the best
               Whether it's an ODI or a test] Rao

"The best seem to appreciate Ramanujan early. The rest of us have to need some
of his work before without really appreciating it."

          --- Richard Askey, a University of Wisconsin
              mathematician deeply involved in Ramanujan's work