England and New Zealand were penalised for slow-over rates during the first Test of their series in Christchurch. However, India and Australia were not penalised despite having bowled slower at times during the Perth Test. Here's why.
The points deduction given to England after Christchurch took them up to 22 points lost to slow-over rate penalties during the current World Test Championship cycle. New Zealand also incurred their first penalty, deducted three points – the same as England – for the same offence. While England were already out of contention for the WTC final, it has significantly hampered New Zealand's, already slim, chances of reaching another final.
According to the ICC Code of Conduct, When a side's over rate for the match is calculated as less than 15 overs per hour, they will be charged with an offence under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct. All 11 players in the side will be fined 5 per cent of their match fee per over they were short of the minimum rate, up to a maximum of a 50 per cent fine. Additionally, the team will have one World Test Championship point deducted for each over they were behind 15 overs per hour.
Despite at times bowling at less than that rate, neither India or Australia were docked points for bowling their overs too slowly in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth. On day one of the match, only 77 overs were bowled over the course of play, with India bowled out after lunch and Australia were seven wickets down by stumps.
Only 81 overs were bowled on day two and 83 on day three. With the standard set normally at 90 overs per day in Test matches, that target was not hit on any full day of play during the Test. But there are several factors in the rules that mean neither side were in breach of over-rate conditions.
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The ICC's men's Test match playing conditions clause 12.9 state that the minimum over rate teams must achieve is 15 overs per hour. The rate is calculated at the end of the match by the umpires, and is the average rate fielding teams achieved across both batting team's innings.
In calculating the rate, the umpires take into account time lost as a result of treatment given to a player on the field or leaving the field with a serious injury, as well as the time taken for third umpire referrals, drinks breaks, and wickets taken. In the case of India and Australia, 17 wickets fell on day one, all of which would be taken into consideration when calculating whether either side was behind the required over-rate.
Equally, if a team has bowled 80 overs or less during the course of one innings, and have not bowled below the minimum required over rate, the innings will not be factored into the calculation of the side's over-rate for the whole match. Neither India nor Australia bowled more than eighty overs in their first innings in the field.
In addition, teams will not be eligible to receive an over-rate penalty if they do not bowl more than 160 overs in a match across both innings. India bowled 110 overs across both their fielding innings in Perth, and thus were not eligible for a penalty. Australia bowled 183 overs across the match, but were not judged to have bowled their overs at less than the required rate.
India are currently in first position in the World Test Championship table, with a PCT of 61.11 and having had only two points deducted for slow over rates. Australia sit in third position, with a PCT of 57.69 and having had 10 points deducted for slow over rates.
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