ICC’s heavy punishment for England, Australia; all players fined, WTC points docked

ICC, on Wednesday, imposed heavy sanctions on England and Australia for maintaining slow over-rate during the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham which the visitors won by two wickets after a nail-biting finish.

ICC docked two points each from England and Australia’s World Test Championship (WTC) tally while players from both sides were also fined 40 per cent of their match fees.

Match referee Andy Pycroft imposed the sanctions after both teams were ruled to be two overs short of their targets after time allowances were taken into consideration.

Australia captain Pat Cummins and England counterpart Ben Stokes accepted the sanctions, meaning there was no need for formal hearings.

The sanctions see Australia lose two World Test Championship points, leaving Cummins’ side with a total of 10 points – a team gets 12 points for a win – after their first Test of the new cycle.

England were also deducted two points, meaning they are behind all eight of their rivals in the 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle with a current tally of -2.

Cummins’ Australia beat India to win the WTC23 crown at The Oval earlier this month, and the current Ashes series is the first of six series that will determine Australia’s qualification chances for the next WTC Final – scheduled to be held at Lord’s in London in June 2025.

Both Australia and India were penalised for slow over rates in the WTC23 Final.

In accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to minimum over-rate offences, players are fined 20 per cent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.

In addition, as per Article 16.11.2 of the ICC World Test Championship playing conditions, sides are penalised one point for each over short. Consequently, two World Test Championship points will be deducted from both teams’ points total.