The International Cricket Council (ICC) have fined Australia and England 40 per cent of their match fee and penalised two World Test Championship points each for maintaining slow over-rates during the first Test in Birmingham.
The sanctions were imposed by Andy Pycroft of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees after the teams were found two overs short of their targets after taking into account time allowances.
“In accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to minimum over-rate offences, players are fined 20 per cent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time,” the ICC said in a press release.
“In addition, as per Article 16.11.2 of the ICC World Test Championship playing conditions, sides are penalised one point for each over short. Consequently, two World Test Championship points will be deducted from both teams’ points total.
“Captains Pat Cummins and Ben Stokes pled guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanctions, so there was no need for formal hearings.
“On-field umpires Ahsan Raza and Marais Erasmus, third umpire Chris Gaffaney and fourth umpire Mike Burns levelled the charges.”
It must be noted that Cummins secured a thrilling two-wicket victory for his side over England in the opening Ashes Test on Tuesday.
The visitors, chasing a target of 281 runs, began a rain-hit day on 107-3 but their chances looked bleak when they fell to 227-8.
But Cummins, along with Nathan Lyon, launched a fightback and sealed victory with an unbeaten 44.
In suffocating tension, the Aussie captain struck the final boundary to take his side over the line for a 1-0 lead in the series.