England captain Ben Stokes believes there should be a difference in over-rate regulations depending on the continent where the match is being played.
Once again, slow over-rate penalties have come back to haunt England in the ongoing World Test Championship, just as they did in the previous cycle. Following the thrilling Lord’s Test against India, which England won by 22 runs, the team was penalized for falling behind the required over-rate. Despite the win, England didn’t receive full WTC points—an outcome that has left the team disappointed. According to the ICC, England were two overs short of the target, resulting in a deduction of two championship points.
In addition to the point deduction, the English players were also fined 10% of their match fees.
As a result, England have slipped from second to third place on the WTC table with 22 points and a 61.11% win percentage. Sri Lanka now sit second with 66.67%, while Australia, having whitewashed West Indies, lead the table with a perfect 100%.
Slow over-rates were also a major issue for England in the last WTC cycle. During the Ashes, they lost 19 points across four matches, and another 3 points in a single match against New Zealand—penalties that ultimately cost them a spot in the final.
The latest deduction has sparked fresh debate in English cricket circles, with many questioning the fairness of the current rules. Stokes added to the growing discussion on Tuesday, speaking to reporters ahead of the fourth Test at Old Trafford.
“I’m not worried about over-rates, but that doesn’t mean I’m deliberately slowing the game down. I understand the frustration around it, but I genuinely think this rule framework needs a deep review. The same rule can’t apply to Asia, where 70 percent of the overs are bowled by spinners, and also to New Zealand, Australia, or England, where 70 to 80 percent of the overs are bowled by pacers.”
“A spinner’s over naturally takes less time than a pacer’s. So, just using common sense, there needs to be thought on how to adjust over-rate expectations based on conditions across different continents.”
With the Lord’s victory, England now lead the five-match series 2-1. The fourth Test begins on Wednesday.
