Slow over rates in Test matches have been a growing concern recently, and the World Test Championship (WTC) Final between India and Australia highlighted this issue once again. The match saw 44 overs being wasted due to slow over rates from both sides, resulting in frustration among experts and fans. While both teams were fined for the offense, former England captain Michael Vaughan believes that fines alone will not address this recurring problem. He suggests implementing a heavy run penalty as a potential solution.
Vaughan took to social media to express his views, proposing that runs be awarded to the batting team at the end of each day’s play as a penalty for slow over rates. He suggested a penalty of 20 runs per over, emphasizing the need for a stricter deterrent to discourage teams from falling behind the required over rate.
“Fines don’t work. So Runs awarded to the Batting team at the end of the day’s play could be the only way .. 20 runs per over ..,” Vaughan tweeted.
In the WTC Final, India received a 100 percent match fee deduction for their slow over rate, while Australia faced an 80 percent fine. The International Cricket Council (ICC) stated that India fell five overs short of the target after accounting for time allowances, while Australia was four overs behind. Both teams breached Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel.
According to the ICC rule, players are fined 20 percent of their match fee for every over their team bowls beyond the stipulated time. However, these fines have not effectively curbed the issue of slow overrates.
The suggestion put forth by Michael Vaughan, although it may be seen as drastic, highlights the need for more severe consequences to discourage teams from falling behind the over rate. By implementing a heavy run penalty, teams would face a direct impact on the scoreboard, potentially leading to a greater sense of urgency to maintain the required pace of play.
Fines don’t work .. So Runs awarded to the Batting team at the end of the days play could be the only way .. 20 runs per over .. https://t.co/2YTYMaCax7
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) June 12, 2023
Whether the ICC and cricket authorities will consider such a proposal or explore alternative measures to address the slow overrate issue remains to be seen. However, the discussion sparked by Vaughan’s suggestion underscores the growing frustration surrounding this aspect of the game and the need for stricter measures to maintain the pace of play in Test cricket.
