England’s energy-sapping win over India at Lord’s this week has come at a cost after they were docked two World Test Championship points for a slow over rate.
In addition to the sanction that sees Ben Stokes’ team drop from a win percentage of 66.67 to 61.11, and therefore relinquish outright second place to Sri Lanka, the players have been fined £1500 each, one-tenth of their match fees.
India, meanwhile, escaped scot-free despite bowling only 83 overs on the opening day of the 22-run defeat.
In all, 32 overs were lost from the first three days due to a succession of stoppages caused by multiple checks on balls going soft and players being treated on-field for injuries, such as Rishabh Pant being struck on the left hand or Shubman Gill receiving a massage.
With all things considered, match referee Richie Richardson imposed the sanction after the charge was levelled by umpires Paul Reiffel and Sharfuddoulah, supported by fourth umpire Graham Lloyd.
England captain Stokes submitted a guilty plea to avoid a formal hearing, but the punishment follows 22 points of deductions in the previous WTC cycle that finished earlier this year.
Without such penalties, England would have finished third in the standings instead of fifth.
It is undoubtedly an area that they need to improve, but one thing that cannot be bettered is Joe Root’s standing in the Test batting rankings.
Just as he did when he lost the No 1 spot last December, Root has returned to the summit just a week later, having struck his 37th Test hundred in England’s 387 and followed up with a top score of 40 in the second innings.
Yorkshire team-mate Harry Brook, who displaced the 34-year-old last week, has slipped to third behind New Zealand’s Kane Williamson.
Meanwhile, Ashes rivals Australia now have five bowlers in the top 10 after Scott Boland, chosen ahead of Nathan Lyon for the pink-ball Test in Jamaica, took a hat-trick as West Indies were routed for 27 on the third day.
