West Indies penalised for slow over rate in draw against England

West Indies have been fined 40per cent of their match fee and docked two ICC World Test Championship (WTC) points for maintaining a slow over rate in their draw against England in the first test in Antigua, the sport's governing body said on Monday.

Kraigg Brathwaite's side were ruled to be two overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration, with match referee Richie Richardson imposing the sanction.

Under the WTC playing conditions, players are fined 20per cent of their match fee for every over their side fail to bowl in the allotted time while the team are penalised one point for each over short.

The ICC added that Brathwaite acknowledged and accepted the ruling and sanctions.

The docked points mean that West Indies have slipped to eighth in the WTC standings, behind Bangladesh.

They are the third team to be penalised for a slow over rate during the 2021-23 WTC cycle, with India losing three points and England losing 10 so far.

In the drawn first test at the Vivian Richards Stadium, West Indies overcame a top-order collapse on the final day in North Sound to hold on and share the spoils with England.

The second test begins in Barbados on Wednesday before the series concludes in Grenada from March 24-28.

(Reporting by Hritika Sharma in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)