In the Test series between New Zealand and England held in Christchurch, both teams were given penalties for playing their overs too slowly. This happened during the first Test match. As a result, both teams were fined 15 percent of their match fees. Additionally, they lost 3 important points in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC).
England’s position in the Championship hasn’t changed much because they are already out of the race for next year’s final. However, for New Zealand, losing these points is a big setback. Initially, they were in fourth place, but now they have dropped to fifth.
Current standings of World Test Championship
With the loss of points, New Zealand’s points percentage is now 47.92%. If they win their remaining two matches against England, their best possible percentage will be 55.36%. To reach the final match at Lord’s in June 2025, New Zealand not only needs to win both matches but also hopes for favourable results from other games.
Details of the penalty
The ICC found that both teams were behind by three overs after considering the time allowances. Because of this, they lost one point for each over they were short. Both New Zealand captain, Tom Latham, and England captain, Ben Stokes, admitted to the offence and accepted the penalty. Therefore, there was no requirement for a formal hearing.
Match officials like Ahsan Raza, Rod Tucker, Adrian Holdstock, and Kim Cotton pointed out the shortfalls, and David Boon from the ICC Elite Panel imposed the penalties.
WTC Points Table (Updated)
| Rank | Team | M | W | L | T | D | Points | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 15 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 110 | 61.11% |
| 2 | South Africa | 9 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 64 | 59.26% |
| 3 | Australia | 13 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 90 | 57.69% |
| 4 | Sri Lanka | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 50.00% |
| 5 | New Zealand | 12 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 69 | 47.92% |
| 6 | England | 20 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 102 | 42.50% |
| 7 | Pakistan | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 33.33% |
| 8 | West Indies | 10 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 32 | 26.67% |
| 9 | Bangladesh | 11 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 25.00% |
