ECB considering points-based scoring system for Sri Lanka series

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has confirmed that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has made a request to use a points-based scoring system for the upcoming Sri Lanka tour of England.

Currently, the three formats of the game are contested and the series wins are awarded individually but a points based system will decide a single winner for an entire tour.

SLC’s secretary Mohan de Silva revealed that the board is yet to agree with ECB’s request and they are most likely to discuss the proposal in the next executive committee meeting.

“The ECB has made a request, but we have not discussed or agreed up to this point of time.

“We will probably take it up at the next executive committee meeting.

“The CEO and the Cricket Operations Manager will have to make a recommendation to the committee.”

This points-based scoring system was first applied by the ECB to the Women’s Ashes in 2013 where a Test victory carried six points and wins in the limited overs formats carried two points each.

The points given for a Test win have been reduced to four due to the fact that one-off games in the longest format skewed the results due to the high weightage.

In this year’s Editor’s notes in the Wisden, Lawrence Booth also suggested introducing a points-based system which according to him will be beneficial for the game.

“Walkovers happen, but cricket would benefit if they didn’t happen in a vacuum,” wrote Booth.

“Last summer’s women’s Ashes provided a glimpse of a solution, already suggested elsewhere for the good reason that it makes sense: hand out points for every win on a bilateral tour (say, six for a Test, three for a one-day international and two for a Twenty20), tot them up, then award three to the overall winner, or one each in case of a draw.”

Having lost the Test series against Sri Lanka in 2014, England will be keen to regain the trophy when the two sides face off for a three-match series which begins on 19th May.

© Cricket World 2016