'Duckworth-Lewis is rubbish' - Fleming

Rising Pune Supergiants coach Stephen Fleming lashed out at the Duckworth-Lewis method after his side's eight-wicket defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders, saying that the game was over for them as soon as the rule came into effect. The match in Kolkata on Saturday was marred by rain and a heavy spell interrupted Supergiants' innings with the score on 103 for 6 in 17.4 overs. After more than two hours of play were lost, Knight Riders were set 66 to win in nine overs, a target they achieved with four overs to spare. The defeat pushed Supergiants out of contention for a playoff spot.

"Duckworth-Lewis is rubbish," Fleming said after the match. "As soon you get stuck with Duckworth-Lewis the game is over. We could have gone to 135, maybe 140, maybe we could have hit 25 runs in the last three overs. [A total of]135 is good. 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.

If he had won, it won't have been rubbish as it's usually rubbish for the losing side.

I was also going to say that I wonder if he'd have been saying that if his team would have won?

The arguments over the Duckworth Lewis method of deciding a game have been going on for a number of years now, and I think while we can all agree it's not perfect, what other ways are there that haven't already been looked into?

If you say you need to surpass the equivalent scoring rate in the allocated over, then there would be problems and you find before D/L games would have been undecided.

Perhaps Fleming could have, at the same time of his disagreement, indicate his preferred method.

Short of forcing every ground to have a retractable roof in order to continue play during rain, inclement weather will always be a part in influencing the results.

Personally, I enjoyed the the bowl-outs that were previously used in the NatWest Trophy to decide matches that were either tied or completely rained out. Bowl-outs have also been used in domestic and international T20 competitions. I recall West Indies losing a bowl-out to New Zealand back in 2006.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/nzvwi/conten...37325.html

Obviously the rain needs to stop enough for the bowlers to get out in the middle to be able to bowl at the stumps, but at least matches are finished with some action on the field and not some dodgy calculations. I am not a fan of D/L, but the reality is I am not sure there is a better (or fairer) way to decide rain-affected matches.

Duckworth[less] Lewis...crap....as I've been saying for years.  Cricket world always catching
up with Timmyj.  8)

Some video footage of a bowl out between India and Pakistan.



And Surrey versus Warwickshire for good measure. Fast forward to the 1 minute mark.



Yes, it's the equivalent of a penalty shoot out, but at least the action is decided on the field and not on a calculator.

"Bowl out"...TOTAL COP OUT! !  Either play the game out even if you have to play til midnight or make it
up later like MLB.    8)