AUS vs ENG: Steve Smith and team fined for slow over rate

Australian captain Steve Smith is held responsible by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for maintaining a slow over-rate in the third match of the ODI series against England and will have to part with 40 per cent of his match fee as a fine. The rest of the team will also be fined, but for them, the fined is 20 per cent of the total match fees.

What’s the rule?

According to the ICC’s Code of Conduct, the rule is that for every over that was short within the permitted time, the offending team will be fined 10 per cent of their match fee and their skipper has to pay double the price.

Sticking to the rule, match referee Ranjan Madugalle decided the fine once it was determined that the Aussie team had fallen short of two overs, even after taking into account the additional time allowances. The fine was announced in a statement by the ICC.

Smith’s reaction

Captain Smith went for a guilty plea accepting the decision, thus there was no official hearing. A formal hearing takes place when the captain pleads not guilty and refuses to agree to the sanction.

In case the team commits the offence once again within 12 months from today, with Smith as the captain, he will face suspension.

Match results

Things are not going too well for Steve Smith & Co. apparently, as this match was the third consecutive defeat for the Aussies on their home turf with a subsequent loss in the ODI series. They lost the first two matches by five wickets at the MCG and four wickets at the Gabba respectively.

In the third one, they fell short of 16 runs while chasing the 302-run target set by England, with the help of wicketkeeper Jos Buttler’s brilliant 100 off 83 balls. Although Aaron Finch, Mitch Marsh and Marcus Stoinis scored a half century each, it was in a lost cause.

~ By Anwesha Nag