England’s chances of making the World Test Championship final have taken another hit. The ICC has fined them 50 percent of their match fee and docked them 12 WTC points for a slow over-rate during the second Test against New Zealand at The Oval.
Match referee Andy Pycroft found that England were 12 overs short of where they should have been, after factoring in time allowances. Captain Joe Root pleaded guilty and accepted the punishment.
This isn’t the first time. England were also docked two WTC points for a slow over-rate during last year’s third Test against India at Lord’s.
The latest penalty drops England’s WTC percentage from 34.72 to 26.39. They’re now sitting in seventh place, ahead of only Pakistan and the West Indies.
England have never qualified for a World Test Championship final. Under Brendon McCullum, who took over in 2022, they’ve also failed to win a Test series against India or Australia. In the current WTC cycle, they’ve won just four of their 12 matches, including a heavy 4-1 Ashes loss in Australia.
During the previous WTC cycle in 2023-2025, England were docked 22 points for slow over-rates. Then-captain Ben Stokes blamed the team’s reliance on fast bowlers, pointing out that over-rate issues don’t happen as much in Asia because teams bowl more spin.
“It’s hard to find where you can get the time back when you’re out in the middle,” Stokes said in 2024. “As a captain, I like to change things quite a lot. The field could be completely different six balls in an over. But that’s not taken into consideration and getting told to just hurry up isn’t going to fix it.”
The third and final Test between England and New Zealand starts on Thursday at Trent Bridge. England need a win and a fast one, to keep any slim hopes alive.
Ben Stokes Returns as England Recall Captain and Gus Atkinson for Series-Deciding Third Test vs New Zealand
England have recalled captain Ben Stokes and pacer Gus Atkinson for the third and final Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge. The pair were dropped for the second Test after a nightclub incident following the first match.
The ECB investigated what happened in the early hours of June 8. In a statement, they said Stokes and Atkinson had breached their contractual obligations to maintain high standards of conduct. Both were given written warnings.
The ECB also made it clear that neither player was to blame for violence at the nightclub. Stokes was not involved in any altercation and didn’t see either incident. Atkinson was actually the victim of unprovoked attacks and didn’t fight back.
Stokes and Atkinson missed the second Test at The Oval, with Joe Root taking over as captain. But that decision didn’t help England much. New Zealand thrashed them by 253 runs to level the series at 1-1.
The second Test was over quickly on the final morning. New Zealand pacer Matt Henry ran through England’s tail, taking five wickets in just under an hour. England had started the day at 182-5, chasing an unlikely 463 for victory. They collapsed to 209 all out.
Henry removed Joe Root lbw for 77 with his first ball of the day. Two balls later, he bowled Jofra Archer for a duck. Then he had Matthew Fisher playing on without scoring, and Josh Tongue edging to slip with the next ball. He finished it off by bowling Jordan Cox with an in-swinging yorker, taking his match haul to 11 wickets.
The third Test starts on June 25 at Trent Bridge. Stokes is back in charge, and England need a win to take the series.
FAQs
Q. Why were England fined in the WTC?
A. England were fined 50 percent of their match fee and docked 12 WTC points for a slow over-rate against New Zealand.
Q. What happened to England’s WTC ranking?
A. Their WTC percentage dropped from 34.72 to 26.39 after the penalty.
Q. Has England faced slow over-rate penalties before?
A. Yes, they were also docked points in previous WTC cycles for slow over-rates.
Q. Who is leading England in the current Test series?
A. Joe Root is leading England after Ben Stokes missed the second Test.
Q. When is the next Test between England and New Zealand?
A. The third Test starts on June 25 at Trent Bridge.
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