A broken printer has resulted in a cricket team conceding a match in Northern Ireland, turning what looked like a normal rain interruption into a highly unusual defeat.Ballyspallen were playing at home against Eglinton in the North West Cricket Union Premier League on Saturday. Eglinton had been bowled out for 159 runs in 48.1 overs and Ballyspallen had started their chase. The hosts had scored 19 runs after two overs when rain stopped play.Because of the weather, the number of overs in the match was expected to be reduced. Officials therefore needed to use the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method, which is used in cricket to work out a revised target when rain interrupts a limited-overs match.However, the required DLS sheet could not be produced because Ballyspallen’s printer was not working. Without the document, officials could not continue the match under the competition’s rules.Eglinton were consequently awarded the victory, even though not another ball was bowled after the rain delay. The unusual decision was based on the North West Cricket Union’s regulations, which specifically cover situations where a DLS calculation cannot be provided.
Home team penalised under strict regulations
According to the rules, the team hosting the match must immediately concede if a DLS sheet cannot be produced for both teams and the umpires.The regulations also clearly state that the home club should have “a computer loaded with the necessary software, a compatible and operational printer with a sufficient supply of paper and ink, and a proficient operator”.The NWCU further says this equipment must be “operational” before the match starts. Ballyspallen’s failure to meet that requirement therefore proved costly.The technical problem denied Ballyspallen the opportunity to continue their chase and potentially secure their fifth Premier League victory. Instead, Eglinton took the points without having to bowl another delivery, while Ballyspallen remain at the bottom of the league table.
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