What to do when rain stops play

Freeze the book

The moment play stops, freeze the book. Write the time, the score, the wickets, and the batters at the crease. Do not finish the over in your head. If the over was in progress, record the balls bowled so far.

Do not round

The scorer's panic move is to round the total or to finish the over to make the numbers look neat. Do not. The DLS calculation and league rules need the exact balls bowled and wickets down at the stoppage.

Record the resume

When play resumes, write the time and the revised overs, if the umpires announce them. Ask the umpires to confirm the overs in writing before the innings restarts, and check the target if the match is a chase.

Check the minimum overs

Most competitions have a minimum number of overs for a result. Write the threshold at the top of the book, so when the rain ends you can see whether a result is possible.

Deciding the result

If the match is called, write the outcome the playing conditions name: no-result, abandoned, or a DLS result. Publish that outcome on the scorecard with the reason and the time.

Keep the captains informed

A captain will ask how many overs are left and what the target is. Give the figures from the book, not an estimate. If you cannot give an exact figure, say the umpires will confirm.

Common mistakes

• Finishing an over after the rain has started.
• Changing the target before the umpires confirm the overs.
• Recording a no-result without writing the playing-condition reason.

Citations

Playing conditions for the competition. DLS guidance is in the DLS guide.