Supergiants coach fuming with system following Knight Riders loss at Eden Gardens
Fleming blasts DLS method after Pune defeat
Rising Pune Supergiants coach Stephen Fleming has labelled the Duckworth-Lewis method "rubbish" after his side succumbed to an eight-wicket defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens.
Fleming believed the contest between his side and KKR was very much alive before rain – and the system that determines the revised target – intervened.
With the Supergiants 6-103 after 17.4 overs, the heavens opened and, as far as Fleming was concerned, that spelt game over.
"Duckworth-Lewis is rubbish," the former New Zealand captain said post-match, after the revised target for the Knight Riders became 66 in nine overs.
"As soon you get stuck with Duckworth-Lewis the game is over.
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"We could have gone to 135, maybe 140 – maybe we could have hit 25 runs in the last three overs.
"The track was turning and it was going to be a difficult chase with our spinners, but as soon Duckworth-Lewis and rain (came in) the game was over. Simple as that.
"We thought 135 was a good score. It (the pitch) was difficult. It was turning, it was slow and it was going to get probably slower if there was no rain. So we looked at 135-140.
"We would have taken a little bit of getting there in terms of (making) 25 off the last three overs, but with (MS) Dhoni there, that is what he was looking forward to from the last two overs in particular. We were denied that.
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"I've been saying that for years. The others have said it as well but there's no point carrying on too much about it. There's no willingness to change. It's not made for a T20 game. It's just ridiculous really and until it's addressed you just hope the sky doesn't open."
When rain struck, Pune captain MS Dhoni was unbeaten on eight from a strangely sedate 22 balls, however given the India legend's reputation, Fleming's prediction of a total in excess of 130 could not have been discounted.
"We would have scrapped to 135-140, and if someone had played really well we could have gone to 150," Fleming argued.
"The spinners that we've got, it would have been a difficult chase. As soon as we came to know the target with all the rain and wet ball, we knew it was impossible."
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The defeat ensured the Supergiants – who have been hit with injury throughout their inaugural IPL campaign – remain anchored to the foot of the table and are out of contention for the finals, while Kolkata are equal first with David Warner's Sunrisers Hyderabad and newcomers Gujarat Lions on 14 points.