What's happened
England's cricket captain Ben Stokes expressed frustration over penalties for slow over rates during the recent Test against New Zealand. England lost points and match fees despite winning the match early, highlighting issues with ICC regulations and communication.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Guardian, Stokes criticized the ICC's over-rate penalties, stating, "The most frustrating thing is it’s an issue depending on where you are in the world." He emphasized that conditions should be considered when enforcing these rules. The Independent reported that Stokes has not signed an over-rate sheet since the Ashes, reflecting his protest against the lack of communication from the ICC. The ICC's statement confirmed that both England and New Zealand were penalized for being three overs short, which Stokes argues does not account for the nature of seam-dominant matches. This sentiment is echoed in multiple sources, highlighting a growing concern among players about the fairness and applicability of current regulations.
How we got here
England faced penalties for slow over rates during their Test match against New Zealand, losing three World Test Championship points and 15% of their match fees. This follows a history of similar sanctions, raising concerns about ICC regulations.
More on these topics
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England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest of England and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. England is separated from continental Europe by
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The International Cricket Council is the world governing body of cricket. It was founded as the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from Australia, England and South Africa.
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New Zealand is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It comprises two main landmasses—the North Island and the South Island —and around 600 smaller islands, covering a total area of 268,021 square kilometres.
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Benjamin Andrew Stokes OBE is an English international cricketer and current vice-captain of the England cricket team in Test cricket. Stokes was part of the England squad that won the 2019 Cricket World Cup. In July 2020, Stokes captained the England tea
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South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa, is the southernmost country in Africa. With over 59 million people, it is the world's 24th-most populous nation and covers an area of 1,221,037 square kilometres.
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Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. The Christchurch urban area lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula.