Duckworth-Lewis looks here to stay despite Flower's call for change

Duckworth-Lewis has been rampant these past few days in the World Twenty20. Given the state of Caribbean weather at this time of year its influence on the course of the competition could yet be more profound.

The D-L method to decide the fate of weather-affected matches courts controversy in Twenty20 because it seems to favour disproportionately the side batting second. For instance on Monday, West Indies needed only 60 to win from six overs after England had made 191 from 20. England felt hard done by.

Their coach Andy Flower said yesterday: "I don't think the Duckworth Lewis system as it stands at the moment is fair in 20-over cricket. I wouldn't know how to rejig it but I think it should be rejigged."

England have not formally raised the issue although they were pretty sore having been on the wrong end of D-L in the World Twenty20 last summer when again it was West Indies chasing a small target. "I think they could have seen that it wasn't quite right in the last Twenty20," said Flower.

One suggested resolution is that the side batting second in a reduced match should have fewer wickets. But according to D-L it would be difficult to apportion wickets bearing in mind the rate of deduction, the fact that earlier wickets are more valuable than later ones, and that there might be dissatisfaction among spectators if some batsmen were not allowed to bat. Any tampering with runs required would tamper with the clinically statistical nature of the method. It might not feel right but it is here to stay.