ICC suspends Windies skipper Jason Holder for one Test

Windies skipper Jason Holder has been suspended for one Test and fined 60% of his match fee, while his players have been fined 30% of their match fees, for maintaining a slow over-rate during New Zealand’s innings and 67 runs resounding victory in the Wellington Test, which ended on Monday.

What does the law say?

Chris Broad of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees imposed the suspension on Holder after the Windies were ruled to be three overs short of their target after time allowances were taken into consideration. In accordance with Article 2.5.1 and Appendix 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Players Support Personnel, which deals with minor over-rate offences, players are fined 10 per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, with the captain fined double that amount.

As Holder had previously been found guilty of a minor over-rate offence during the Jamaica Test against Pakistan in April 2017, this offence constituted his second minor over-rate offence in a Test match within a 12-month period. The suspension means Holder will miss the upcoming second Test which starts in Hamilton on Saturday, 9 December.

The charge was laid by on-field umpires Ian Gould and Rod Tucker, third umpire Bruce Oxenford, all from the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, and fourth official Wayne Knights.

How did the 1st Test pan out?

New Zealand won the game by an innings and 67 runs thereby taking a 1-0 lead in the series and started their home season with a dominating victory. The visitors need to answer a lot of questions going into the second and final Test match of the series. They would want to put up a spirited fightback and bat well to give some chance to their bowlers.

Who will lead the side?

With the skipper getting suspended from the second Test, Windies might opt for Kraigg Brathwaite, Shai Hope or Roston Chase to lead the visitors. Alzarri Joseph would be the likely replacement for Holder in the playing XI.