CHRISTCHURCH: England Test captain Ben Stokes lambasted the International Cricket Council (ICC) for penalizing his side for maintaining a slow over-rate during the first Test against New Zealand.
The apex cricketing body on Tuesday, announced imposing a fine of 15 per cent of their match fees and also slapped them with a deduction of three crucial World Test Championship (WTC) points.
The decision did not sit well with the England captain, who expressed his frustration through his Instagram story.
“Good on you ICC. Finished the game with 10 hours of play still left,” Stokes captioned his Instagram story.
Later, while speaking to the reporters, Ben Stokes acknowledged the fans’ frustration before lamenting lack of communication from the ICC regarding the rule.
“You totally understand why there is frustration from the fans. We’re not purposely bowling overs slower than the rules say. In the summer it doesn’t get dark until till half 10 in England. Why not just make it you bowl your overs out if the light is sufficient enough for us to be able to do that?” he said.
“I’m not the only one who shares the opinion that we would like to have a lot more communication with the ICC around this,” he added.
He then went on to reveal that he has not signed an over-rate chargesheet – a document from the match referee confirming a team is going to incur a penalty – since the Ashes and vowed not to do it until he hears something from the apex cricketing body.
“I’ve not signed an over-rate sheet since Lord’s in the Ashes just until we hear some communication back from the ICC that we’re still waiting for. Captains have to sign over-rate sheets and fines and stuff, but I have said ‘no’ until I have the conversations. But they still take the fines off you anyway,” Stokes concluded.
- Ben Stokes
