Second slow over-rate offence of the current World Test Championship cycle costs England valuable points and match fees

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England have been penalised 12 points in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) after being found guilty of a slow over-rate during the second Test against New Zealand Cricket Team at The Oval. In addition to the points deduction, the players were fined 50% of their match fees, marking another setback for England in the WTC standings.

The penalty comes after England were ruled to be 12 overs short of the required target once all applicable time allowances were taken into account. Under ICC World Test Championship regulations, teams lose one championship point for every over they fall short. Since a Test victory is worth 12 WTC points, the deduction effectively wipes out the points England earned from their opening Test win at Lord’s.

According to the ICC Code of Conduct, players are fined 5% of their match fee for each over short. However, fines are capped at 50%, which is the maximum sanction England received for the offence.

The charge was laid by on-field umpires Adrian Holdstock and Nitin Menon, alongside third umpire Rod Tucker and fourth umpire Graham Lloyd. England captain Joe Root, who led the side in place of Ben Stokes, accepted the offence and pleaded guilty, eliminating the need for a formal hearing. The sanction was confirmed by match referee Andy Pycroft.

England suffered a 253-run defeat in the second Test, allowing New Zealand to level the three-match series 1-1 ahead of the decisive final Test at Trent Bridge beginning on June 25.

The points deduction further damages England’s position in the World Test Championship table. They now sit seventh among the nine competing teams, with 38 points from 12 Tests and a points percentage of 26.39.

This is the second time England have been punished for a slow over rate during the current WTC cycle. Earlier, they were docked two points following their 22-run victory against India National Cricket Team at Lord’s in 2025. Slow over rates have been a recurring issue for England, who also lost 22 WTC points due to similar offences during the previous 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle, ultimately finishing fifth in the standings.