Tony Lewis, famous for Duckworth-Lewis method, dies aged 78

Tony Lewis, the former university lecturer better known for one of the most complex rules of cricket - the Duckworth-Lewis method, has died at the age of 78.

An unlikely star of world cricket, Lewis was propelled to fame in 1999 when his complex formula, devised in conjunction with his fellow mathematician Frank Duckworth, was officially adopted by the ICC to help calculate fair run-chases in the event of overs being lost to rain during that summer's World Cup, ESPNcricinfo reported.

"It is with much sadness that the ECB has learned of the passing of Tony Lewis MBE, aged 78. Cricket is deeply indebted to both Tony and Frank's contributions to the sport. We send our sincere condolences to Tony's family," read a statement from the board.

The impact duo had on the sport is best illustrated by the problems that rain delays had caused until they came forward with their algorithmic solution in the mid-1990s.

Their calculations may have baffled generations of cricket lovers over the past two decades, but they have been universally recognised as the best solution yet devised to the sport's most intractable problem.