India and England were fined 40 percent of their match money and two WTC points.© ICC/Twitter
England and India have both lost two World Test Championship points and have each been fined 40 percent of their match money for maintaining a slow overload in the series opener in Nottingham, the International Cricket Council announced on Wednesday. ICC match referee Chris Broad, the former Test batsman and father of England pacer Stuart Broad, imposed the penalty after both sides were decided to be two overs short of their goals after time allowances were considered. A rain marred game at Trent Bridge ended in a draw after the entire last day of Sunday was washed away, with the second test of a five-game series starting Thursday at Lord’s.
Under ICC rules, players will be fined 20 percent of their match money for each time their side fails to bowl within the allotted time, with teams being short one Test Championship point for each.
England captain Joe Root and his Indian counterpart Virat Kohli pleaded guilty and accepted the proposed sanctions, meaning no formal hearings were needed following accusations by the referees.
The points deduction could still affect whether England or India qualify for the second World Test Championship final at the end of the 2021-23 competition cycle.
Australia missed out on a place in this year’s inaugural final, in part due to being awarded points during the 2020 Boxing Day Test for a slow overload, which, after a 2-1 series loss to India, sent New Zealand to the second place pushed into the table.
“It wasn’t until after the game that we realized that our overrate had dropped. That’s really lame for us,” Australian coach Justin Langer said in March.
“At the time we probably thought it wasn’t such a big deal – the players get fined – but that cost us the World Test Championship (final).”
promoted
New Zealand became the first world test champion after beating India in the final in Southampton in June.
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