North Sound (Antigua), July 8 (IANS) The West Indies have been fined 10 per cent of its match fee and docked two crucial ICC World Test Championship (WTC) points for maintaining a slow over-rate during the second Test against Sri Lanka.

West Indies fined 10 per cent match fee, docked two WTC points for slow over-rate against Sri Lanka

North Sound (Antigua), July 8 (IANS) The West Indies have been fined 10 per cent of its match fee and docked two crucial ICC World Test Championship (WTC) points for maintaining a slow over-rate during the second Test against Sri Lanka.

Javagal Srinath of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanctions after the home side was ruled to be two overs short of its target after taking time allowances into consideration.

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 five per cent of their match fee for each over if their team fails to bowl within the allotted time. The maximum penalty under this specific clause is capped at 50 per cent of the match fee.

Furthermore, as per Article 16.11.2 of the ICC World Test Championship playing conditions, a side is penalised one championship point for each over short. Consequently, two WTC points have been deducted from the West Indies’ total.

Though they remain in eighth position in the ongoing WTC standings, but with the two points deducted, their PCT is down to 15. West Indies captain Roston Chase pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, thus eliminating the need for a formal hearing. The charges were levelled by on-field umpires Paul Reiffel and Ahsan Raza, third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, and fourth umpire Deighton Buttler.

Coming to the match, the West Indies ended a 23-year wait for a Test series victory over Sri Lanka by securing a 1-0 triumph in the two-match series following the second Test in Antigua ending in a draw. The series win was also the first time West Indies clinched a series under Roston Chase’s leadership. Their next Test assignment will be against Pakistan from July 25-August 7 in Trinidad for another two-game series.

–IANS

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