The International Cricket Council fined Australia and England 40 per cent of their match fees on Wednesday for slow over rates during an otherwise thrilling Ashes opener at Edgbaston.
Cricket’s governing body said both teams had also been docked two World Test Championship points apiece for slow play.
“In accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel … players are fined 20% of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time,” the ICC said in a statement.
“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.”
“Captains Pat Cummins and Ben Stokes pled guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanctions, so there was no need for formal hearings,” the ICC said in a statement.
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Each player will therefore be hit with a reported loss of around $10,000 each.
It also means that Australia begin the new two-year World Test Championship with 10 points after the two-point deduction, while England are stuck on -2!
But England all-rounder Moeen Ali will likely be the least happy of the players, having already been slapped with a 25 per cent fine for applying spray on his injured finger on Day 3 without the umpires’ consent.
It comes after Australia last week was fined 80 per cent of their match fees for sluggish over rates in their win over India in the WTC final.
The teams bowled a combined 82 overs on day one and 90 on day two, before just 32.4 overs on a rain-hit third day. 86.5 were bowled on day four before Cummins hit the winning runs on the final day in the 63rd over, with four left to play.
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