"Still Issue Fine...": Australia's Ashes Star Takes Sharp Dig At ICC For Docking World Test Championship Points Over Slow Over-rate

A couple of days after the Ashes series ended, Australia and England were in for a rude shock as the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday said it docked points and fined both the teams for maintaining slow over-rate during the recently-concluded contest. The ICC said in a release on its website that both England and Australia, who played out a 2-2 draw with one Test of the five-match series being washed out in Manchester, have been fined one World Test Championship point for every over short, along with match fees.

"Under the revised regulations, they were fined five per cent of their match fee and one WTC point for every over short," the ICC said.

In the WTC cycle 2023-25, 12 points are awarded for every Test win and four for a draw.

Australia, who retained the Ashes following a 2-2 draw, were docked 10 points for maintaining a slow over-rate during the fourth Test. But hosts England lost big in the Ashes series as they lost as many as 19 points for falling behind in over-rate in four out of the five Tests.

The ICC said, "England fell two overs short in the first Test at Edgbaston, nine in the second Test at Lord's, three in the fourth Test at Old Trafford, and five in the last and final Test at The Oval." Hence, England lost two points in the opening Test, nine in the second, three in the fourth and five in the fifth match, amounting to a total of 19 points.

The latest santions did not impress Australia star Usman Khawaja at all. "Don't even get the chance to bowl in the second innings at Manchester due to 2 days of rain and @ICC still issue fines and take 10 WTC points of us for slow over rates! That makes a lot of sense..." Khawaja wrote on Twitter.

Don't even get the chance to bowl in the second innings