Rain, fewer overs and DLS targets

A school T20 starts late, or rain stops play in the middle of the chase. The umpires agree a shorter match, and someone has to work out the new target. The app does this for you. You can change the overs at any time, let the app work out a fair rain-revised target using the DLS method, or type in a target the officials give you.

Before you start

• You can score the match (a listed scorer, or a host of the match or its tournament), on the Scoring tab.
• For rain-revised targets, the match needs DLS switched on. It's on by default for the T20, ODI, T10 and The Hundred formats, and off for Sixes, Box cricket and Test. To switch it on, tap ⚙ Customize this format before the match goes live and set DLS (rain-revised targets) to On.
• Changing overs or typing a target works whether DLS is on or off.
• These tools aren't available in a Test or timeless match, or during a Super Over.

Step by step

1. On the Scoring tab, tap ⏱ Overs & target.
2. Check the line at the top, for example "Now 20 ov · 7.3 bowled · target 151".
3. Pick what happened: Change overs for an agreed new length, ☔ Rain (DLS) for an interruption that cuts overs, or Set target for a target from the officials' sheet (second innings only).
4. Enter the new total overs with − and ＋, or type it. For Set target, fill in Target runs and In overs.
5. Read the preview line. It shows what will happen before you commit.
6. Tap Apply.

You can do this again for each new interruption. ↶ Undo takes back a change if it was the last thing entered.

Change overs or rain: which one?

• Change overs just changes the length. In the first innings both sides get the new number of overs ("Both innings now 15 overs"). In the chase the target doesn't change ("Target stays 151 — need 90 off 45"). Use it for a late start or a length both captains agreed, with no rain maths.
• ☔ Rain (DLS) only cuts overs, and it recalculates the target. In the first innings the preview says "the chase target is revised when it starts". In the chase you'll see the new target straight away, for example "Overs lost 5 · revised target 113 in 15 ov — need 61 off 30".

If the revised target is already lower than the chasing side's score, the preview says the chase is won, and applying it ends the match.

How DLS works, in plain words

Every team has two resources: overs left and wickets left. Losing overs to rain takes away some of those resources. DLS uses a standard table to decide how much each side lost, then scales the target to match.

It's fairer than just cutting the target in half. Say Team A score 160 in 20 overs, and rain cuts the chase to 10 overs. Half of 160 would be 80. But Team B now have all 10 wickets for only 10 overs, so they can attack every ball. The table says 10 overs with 10 wickets left is worth about 57% of a full 20 overs. That gives a par score of 90, so Team B need 91 to win.

Typing a target from the officials

1. Tap ⏱ Overs & target, then Set target.
2. Enter Target runs (more than the current score) and In overs.
3. You'll see the warning "Built-in DLS will be switched off for this match." Any later rain cuts won't recalculate the target, so use Set target again if needed.
4. Tap Apply.

What "(DLS)" means

When the app has revised the target, you'll see "(DLS)" next to it, so everyone knows the target isn't simply the first innings score plus one:

• The Summary tab shows "Target 91 (DLS)" with the runs needed.
• The overs at the top of the scoring screen show "DLS".
• The timeline shows, for example, "Rain — overs cut to 10 · target 91 (DLS)".
• The result reads, for example, "Won by 16 runs (DLS)".

A target you typed in shows "(revised target)", both on the score and in the result.

Common questions

The bowling limit changed after rain. Why?

The automatic overs-per-bowler limit follows the match length. A 20-over match has a limit of 4. Cut it to 10 overs and the limit becomes 2. A limit you set yourself doesn't change. See Bowling limits.

Can I give the overs back if the rain stops quickly?

Use Change overs to add overs. ☔ Rain (DLS) only cuts overs.

Why don't I see Rain (DLS)?

Either DLS is off for this match, or a target was typed in with Set target, which switches DLS off.

The rain won't stop. How do I end the match?

Record a no result or an abandoned match instead. See End a match early.