Test Championship: England docked 2 points for slow over-rate vs New Zealand during 2nd Test

England has managed to take an unassailable 2-0 lead over New Zealand after winning the Nottingham Test. However, England has been docked two points from the WTC for slow over-rate.

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England is finally back on the winning track, winning its first series in the 2021-23 ICC World Test Championship. It defeated New Zealand in the second Test by five wickets at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Tuesday, thus gaining an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series. However, England’s victory has come at the cost of slow over-rate. As per the International Cricket Council’s (ICC’s) recent release, England has been fined 40% of its match fees, besides docking two championship points. Match referee Richie Richardson imposed the sanction during the second Test, where the hosts were a couple of overs short, considering the target after time allowances.

“Under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to minimum over-rate offences, players are fined 20 per cent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time. In addition, as per Article 16.11.2 of the ICC World Test Championship playing conditions, a side is penalised one point for each over short. Consequently, two World Test Championship points have been deducted from England’s points total,” read ICC’s statement.

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“England captain Ben Stokes pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing. On-field umpires Michael Gough and Paul Reiffel, third umpire Rod Tucker and fourth umpire Martin Saggers levelled the charge,” added the statement.

Post the second Test win, England has risen a spot from the bottom to eighth, winning just three matches and losing seven, besides drawing four. It has total points of 40, while its points percentage happens to be 23.81%. While Bangladesh is down to the rock bottom now, the table is led by Australia (first) and South Africa (second), followed by India (third).