‘It doesn’t get dark until 10pm’ – Joe Root questions Test cricket’s cut-off times
Ashes 2023: Joe Root has questioned why there more isn’t done to prevent overs being lost in Test cricket, with England on the verge of failing in their bid to regain the Ashes in a heavily weather-affected game at Old Trafford.
As much as inclement weather has played a role in a frustrating couple of days for England in Manchester, 26 overs – essentially a session’s worth of cricket – were lost over the first three days due to slow over rates.
A normal day of Test cricket sees 90 overs of action which for Tests in England is scheduled to finish at 6pm. An extra half-hour is factored in to make up for slow over rates but any overs not bowled by 6:30pm local time are lost for good.
Speaking to BBC’s Test Match Special on the morning of day five, Root questioned why there isn’t more flexibility in the playing schedule to ensure that overs aren’t lost for slow over rates. “It doesn’t get dark here in England until 10pm in the summer, why can’t we just play until we bowl the overs?” asked Root.
“There’s been a lot of chat about not bowling the overs. There are so many different ways of trying to find opportunities to get as much play in as possible. At every opportunity at every stage you should be looking to find ways to get the Test on. We batted in worse conditions at Edgbaston, but that is cricket. You just want consistency in those conditions.”
The penalties for slow over rates have actually softened during the series. Usman Khawaja was partially responsible for the ICC reducing the financial penalties incurred by players for slow over rates, and also for making it easier to avoid any punishment at all. Previously, players were fined 20 per cent of their match fee for each over their team is short, now it is down to five per cent. Innings shorter than 60 overs would not count if a team had maintained a poor over rate, and that limit has increased to 80 overs.
A drawn Test at Emirates Old Trafford will mean that Australia will retain the Ashes.
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