Michael Vaughan Questions ICC For Punishing England: 'Over Rates Of Both Teams Were Poor'

Sports Cricket

Posted by AI on 2025-07-16 15:57:52 | Last Updated by AI on 2026-05-15 22:05:20

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England's former skipper Michael Vaughan has questioned the International Cricket Council (ICC) for penalizing England and charging them 20 percent of their points for maintaining a slow over rate during the first Test against Australia at the Gabba, which the tourists lost.

As a result of the deduction, England has slipped from second to the third spot in the latest ICC World Test Championship table. The ICC ruled that Australia's average over rate in the match was also below par but decided not to charge the hosts because it was the visiting team that was guilty of being slower on the over rate in the previous match, against India at The Oval.

Speaking on BBC's Tuffers and Vaughan show, Vaughan said, "The game is desperately trying to get people to speed up... I can't understand why England were punished when the over rates of both teams were poor."

"This is bizarre from ICC. If over rates are going to be punished then do it across the board, not just England. You can't have a situation where it's okay to be slow and only punish England," he added.

England has been guilty of maintaining slow over rates repeatedly, and Vaughan believes it is time the team's management and captain accountable. "The game needs to be stricter, but the teams know that. It's been like that for years. We all know that if you blow the whistle, or if you appeal, you'll get done. But if you don't, you won't. The game needs to be fairer," he said.

This is not the first time Vaughan has criticized the ICC. In the past, he has taken digs at the organizers for inconsistency with rules and poor decision-making.

England has been performing well despite the hurdles. They have a chance to redeem themselves in the ongoing second Test at the Adelaide Oval, where day one saw the visitors bowled out for 236, with Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland taking four wickets each.

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