Spot-fixing scandal "disrupted" CSK's IPL 6 campaign: Fleming

quotWe are a very calculated side usually but it39s really been a very difficult last week Off the field we were to experience something we had not been used to But certainly it our campaign was disruptedquot Fleming said at the postmatch press conference after CSK lost to MI by 23 runs in the title clash at the Eden Gardens here last night quotWe had a pretty good IPL It was trouble free till the last week There was an element of consistency in a topsyturvy tournament We love winning but we are also pretty humble in defeatquot he added Stephen Fleming Pic Rajeev Tyagi Chasing a modest 149 CSK a twotime former champions were restricted to 125 for nine in their fifth final appearance as Mumbai Indians lifted their maiden IPL title Indian cricket was recently thrown into disarray because of the IPL spotfixing scandal which led to the arrest of three players including Test pacer S Sreesanth and several bookies with underworld connections The scandal reached the doorstep of BCCI President N Srinivasan with the Mumbai Police arresting his soninlaw and CSK owner Gurunath Meiyappan for alleged involvement in betting quotWe discussed that spotfixing yesterday How much affect it had on them in the final each player would have to answer that I acknowledged in my statement yesterday that it had been a tough weekquot the CSK coach said quotWe were hoping that our performance in the final would reflect the pride and the nature of the side But it was not to be We were outplayedquot Fleming said quotSo a disappointing end to what was a good tournament for us We played well we probably had the most consistent tournament We just came out short in the finalquot he acknowledged Fleming said Mumbai Indians39 Lasith Malinga made the difference with the new ball as CSK could not recover from the loss of their three toporder batsmen inside the second over quotMalinga39s was an outstanding spell He took the new ball after a long time We just had to get through that spell He had Michael Hussey probably with the best ball of the IPL He Hussey has been so good for us this yearquot he said quotChasing that many with Hussey 60 not out we would have won the game easily Mitchell Johnson followed it up as well Three quick wickets and the shot selection after that was pretty poorquot Asked whether CSK batsmen panicked in the big game Fleming said quotCertainly it was not a nice situation The strength of our side is that we have a long batting order With Dhoni coming down to finish the game it gives confidence to the top order quotIt was just a case of putting our innings together but we lost our composure with Dwayne Bravo and Ravindra Jadeja39s dismissals Even with Albie Morkel and Dhoni we had a chance but they Mumbai just kept picking up wickets quotWe tried to stay composed with the depth in our batting order We tried to minimise damage and change the momentumquot he said quotWe did not play good shots today We succumbed to pressure Surely we should have chased down 149 but we did not come close Dhoni batted really well but we39re never going to win the game with eight down and chasing that manyquot Giving due credit to Mumbai Indians Fleming said quotMumbai were always going to be tough They have had great games this year their bowling attack was outstanding and responded under pressure Probably it was a par score but they came out winning Certainly it was the highlight for mequot Asked whether CSK were losing the edge after going down in successive finals Fleming said quotIt39s hard to have the edge It39s a oneoff game quotLast year we lost playing well This year we played poorly We have to get to another final to rectify that But we39re still proud of making five out of six finals Surely would have liked to win three or four out of fivequot The coach backed struggling opener Murali Vijay quotVijay had a disappointing IPL He has a good chemistry with Michael Hussey at the top He has been playing international cricket for India He has also perfromed well for us in the IPL So we will give him a little bit of timequot Fleming said With the players up for auction in the next season Fleming suggested a transfer window system just like in football so that fans can be loyal to their stars quotIf you chop and change too much it39s hard to come next year with a completely different team You would have Dhoni playing somewhere else Raina somewhere else Then you39re asking too much for the Indian cricket fansquot he said quotIf you can keep a core group of four five or six intact it39s better No point in spending time with young Indians if they39re going to be traded somewhere else Maybe a transfer window would be a bit more conducivequot he suggested quotI would like to retain It enables people to identify their stars The style of play is easier from coaching point of viewquot Fleming signed off u00a0