England have been hit with a 10 per cent match fee fine and docked two crucial World Test Championship points following their slow over-rate during the third Test victory against India at Lord's.
The International Cricket Council ruled that Ben Stokes' side were two overs short of the required target, even after time allowances were considered.
"England captain Ben Stokes pled guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing," the ICC stated.
The penalty follows regulations where players forfeit five per cent of their match fees for each over their team fails to bowl within the allocated time.
PA
|Ben Stokes pled guilty to the offences, the ICC stated
The points deduction has seen England slip from second to third place in the World Test Championship standings, with Sri Lanka moving ahead of them.
Australia currently lead the standings in the new 2025-2027 cycle following their comprehensive 3-0 sweep of the West Indies earlier this week.
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This latest sanction adds to England's previous disciplinary record, as they were docked 22 points during the 2023-25 cycle for similar infractions.
The punishment comes despite England's thrilling 22-run victory at Lord's, which gave them a 2-1 lead in the five-match series against India.
The slow over-rate breach occurred during a match where the Dukes ball repeatedly went out of shape and required replacement, contributing to delays in play.
Match referee Richie Richardson determined that England were two overs short of their target, despite these interruptions being taken into account.
The incident particularly frustrated India, with 15 overs lost altogether from the match due to slow play during day two when India closed on 145-3, with only 72.3 overs bowled.
Under Test cricket regulations, teams must bowl 15 overs per hour, with 90 overs scheduled for each day of a five-day match.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has questioned the ICC's decision to penalise only England, arguing that both teams were responsible for the poor over-rates at Lord's.
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"Let's be honest both teams over rates at Lords were very very poor .. How only 1 team has been reprimanded is beyond me .. #ENGvsIND," Vaughan wrote on X.
Vaughan, like many England fans, was left perplexed by the perceived inconsistency in the ICC's enforcement of over-rate regulations, with India escaping punishment despite contributing to the slow play.
The fourth Test between England and India begins at Old Trafford on 23 July, with England leading the series 2-1.
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