Slow over-rate in Ashes: Here's what Ponting and Hussain suggest to curb it

England and Australia were fined 19 and 10 points respectively for slow over rate during the recently concluded Ashes. Ricky Ponting and Nasser Hussain suggest ideas to curb such problems

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting was surprised to find that England managed to fall behind their over-rate in each match of the recently concluded Ashes series. He could not believe that even after adding half an hour extra teams are unable to bowl a full quota of 90 overs.  

“I can’t see where all the time is going in the game, that’s the one thing I can’t understand. So, now there’s an extra half an hour played every day and still we’re losing six or seven overs every day. I don’t know, I just don’t get it,” Ponting was quoted as saying to the ICC review. 

England and Australia were docked World Test Championship points for falling behind in completing their overs. England faltered in all the five Tests and saw 19 of their 28 points deducted. Australia were only penalised for being slow in the fourth Test in Manchester. They lost 10 points. 

Ponting’s solution to curb slow over rate: Involve umpires 

Ponting, who played 168 Tests for the Kangaroos, said that the only way players could become more proactive is to inolve the umpires in the working of the game. 

“I think the umpires need to start just getting the players around more, getting them ready, getting them organised, making sure the batter’s ready to face up, making sure the bowler is at the end of his mark when the batsman gets back to his crease. We’ve got to find a way not to be losing so much time in these games,” said the 48-year-old, who was also part of the Sky Sports commentary team during the Ashes. 

Also Read: WTC 2023-25 points table: England docked 19 points, Australia 10 in Ashes

Nasser Hussain’s solution to curb slow over rates in WTC

Nasser Hussain, the former England captain though has a totally different idea to curb the slow over rates. Hussain said that audiences must not be forced to watch 80-85 overs of play after buying tickets for 90 overs. 

For the Englishman, the only way to curb the issue is to punish the fielding team for not completing the allotted overs in every session. 

"I do think fines, and World Test Championship deduction points, it has cost sides already a place in World Test Championship finals. So I do think the ICC should continue to be strong with teams,” said Hussain, who played 96 Tests for England. 

“Now what that will do is make players get through the day quicker, earlier, because the last thing you want is a three-and-a-half hour last session. The seamers, in particular, aren't going to be overly thrilled if they have to bowl three and a half hours in the end, so umpires need to be stronger with players,” he added further.

During the first WTC cycle in 2019-21, Australia had missed out on playing the final because of penalties posed on them for slow over-rate.