England, India docked two WTC points; penalised for slow over-rates in 1st Test

Dubai : England and Indian cricket team on Wednesday were fined 40 per cent of their match fees and penalised two ICC World Test Championship points each for maintaining slow over-rates in the first Test in Nottingham.

The first Test of the five-match series between England and India at Trent Bridge ended in a draw on Sunday. With the game evenly poised, both teams were left frustrated on the final day as the game was called off without a ball being bowled.

ICC Elite Panel of Match Referee Chris Broad imposed the sanctions after both sides were ruled to be two overs short of their targets after time allowances were taken into consideration.

‘In accordance with 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 fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time,’ the ICC said in a statement.

‘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,’ it added.

Captains Joe Root and Virat Kohli pleaded guilty and accepted the proposed sanctions, so there was no need for formal hearings.

On-field umpires Michael Gough and Richard Kettleborough, third umpire Richard Illingworth and fourth umpire David Millns leveled the charges.

Both the teams now have two points each in the ICC World Test Championship 2021-23 standings heading into the second Test at Lord’s, which begins on Thursday.

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