Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method’s co-creator dies

Frank Duckworth, the statistician who co-developed cricket’s Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method, passed away at the age of 84.

The Royal Statistical Society (RSS) said: “Fellows will be sad to learn that [Frank] Duckworth passed away on 21 June 2024.”

Late Duckworth had been a consultant statistician with the ICC till 2014. He worked with mathematician and lecturer Tony Lewis. Lewis died at the age of 78 in 2020. Both devised the DLS method which is used to revise targets in limited overs games truncated due to rain in cricket.

Before the DL method, the rain rule was used to calculate targets in interrupted matches, including the 1992 ODI World Cup semi-final between South Africa and England in Sydney.

later, the method was renamed in 2014 with the addition of the name of Australian statistician Steven Stern, who made some modifications

In recognition to his services to the cricket, Duckworth was also awarded the honour of a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2010.