MUMBAI, FEB 10: A victory in the preliminary phase of the tri-nation Asian Test Championship, featuring India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan that is set to commence at Calcutta on February 16, would fetch twelve points.A maximum of 4 bonus points would be awarded for scoring 350 runs or more in the first 100 overs of the first innings or taking nine or ten wickets in the same number of overs in the Championship which concludes with the final between the top two teams at Dhaka to be held from March 12-16.Arch-rivals India and Pakistan, who drew the bilateral two-Test series 1-1, would kick off the Championship at the Eden Gardens in Calcutta by playing the first match of the four-match series between February 16 and 20.The team that wins the final outright will be the champion. In case it is drawn the bonus points accumulated in the first 100 overs of the first innings in batting and bowling would be decisive.The toss of the coin would be resorted to in case a tie persists after applying all these formulae in the final as well as in deciding the finalists.THE POINTS SYSTEMPreliminary round-robin phaseWin: 12 points; Draw: No points to any team except bonus points.Bonus Points (awarded in first 100 overs of first innings): Batting: 150- 1 point; 225- 2 points; 300- 3 points; 350 or above- 4 points.Bowling: 3 or 4 wickets- 1 point; 5 or 6 wickets- 2 points; 7 or 8 wickets- 3 points; 9 or 10 wickets- 4 points.Formula to decide the two finalists: The two teams accumulating the highest and second-highest points in terms of result as well as bonus points would qualify for the final.In case of a tie, the team having a better batting run-rate in the first 100 overs of the first innings of the preliminary matches would qualify for the final.If still equal, the team that has claimed maximum wickets in the first 100 overs of the first innings of the matches played will qualify for the final.If still equal, the team having a better net run-rate in the first 100 overs of the first innings it had batted and bowled in the matches will qualify for the final.If still equal, the team that calls correctly at the spin of the coin will qualify for the final.
