Cricket: Fleming caught out on one-day rules

By Richard Boock

The New Zealand cricketers were left red-faced last night after misinterpreting the playing conditions which govern their own series.

Only hours after delivering a glowing endorsement of the "carry-over" provision for one-day internationals - which allows rain-affected ODIs to continue rather than re-start on the reserve day - New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming discovered the new system would not be used for the Australian series.

The relevant condition is spelled out in a media guide prepared by New Zealand Cricket, stipulating an incomplete ODI may be replayed "but not continued" on a reserve day, in contrast to the World Cup and the recent New Zealand-West Indies series.

In response to questions from a raft of New Zealand and Australian reporters yesterday, Fleming said that he was pleased the carry-over rule was being used as it "made sense" to preserve any advantage gained before the weather interruption. However, match referee and former England captain Mike Denness took only a minute to clear up the confusion last night, deciding that the playing conditions clearly provided for weather-affected ODIs to be replayed.