Cricket’s bowlout is similar to a shoot out in a soccer match. India’s 3-0 win over Pakistan in the bowlout in Durban on Friday may appear to be a new concept, but this was not the first time a bowlout has been used in a Twenty20 international game.

When New Zealand (126/8) tied with the West Indies (126/7) in Auckland on February 16, 2006, a similar bowlout decided the eventual winner. The Black Caps won that first Twenty20 international bowlout 3-0.

There was however, a slight variation in the bowlout rules that were, at that time, in their infancy on the international cricket circuit. Five bowlers were nominated from either side, with each permitted to bowl two balls at the unguarded stumps. Nathan Astle has the distinction of being the first to attempt this but both his attempts were off target.

The other New Zealanders who followed were Jeetan Patel, Chris Cairns (who incidentally was playing his last international match) Shane Bond and Scott Styris.

For the visitors the bowlers were Dwayne Smith, Chris Gayle, Jerome Taylor and Ian Bradshaw. At the end of the third round, both the teams had yet to open their account. Finally it was Shane Bond who made the breakthrough in the fourth, striking middle stump twice. Ian Bradshaw, then failed to hit. In the final round, Scott Styris clinched the issue for the Black Caps, hitting middle stump on his first try.

Last October, a Twenty20 international between the Australian and New Zealand women’s teams in Brisbane was also decided by a bowlout after the match was tied. On this occasion the home side won 2-1.

The concept of bowlout is not as new as it appears, having been around in English cricket as far back as the mid-1980’s. The Tilcon Trophy (a 55 over-a-side county tournament) devised a novel way of deciding the winner when play was not possible in matches that were frequently interrupted by rain. Until then, the winners were decided by the spin of a coin.

During the 1985 final between Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire in Harrowgate no play was possible due to rain. Umpires Don Oslear and and John Holder decided that a bowlout would be the way to go instead of a toss.

In this match, however, all the 22 players bowled two balls each at a single unguarded stump. The former won the match 5-1 and with it the trophy and a prize money of £1550!