England have been fined 50 per cent of their match fee and docked 12 points in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 standings for maintaining a slow over-rate during their defeat to New Zealand in the second Test at The Oval.According to an ICC release, England were found guilty of being 12 overs short of the required rate. As a result, their players have been fined 50 per cent of their match fees and the team has lost 12 WTC points. The penalty leaves England on 38 points in the WTC table. They remain seventh in the standings, but their points percentage has dropped from 34.72 to 26.38.Under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which covers minimum over-rate offences, players are fined five per cent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.Article 16.11.2 of the World Test Championship playing conditions states that teams lose one championship point for every over they are short, leading to England’s 12-point deduction.The punishment comes after England suffered a 253-run defeat to New Zealand at The Oval. The visitors bowled England out for 209 just 48 minutes into the fifth and final day.The result levelled the series after England had won the first Test at Lord’s, setting up a decider in Nottingham starting on Thursday.England resumed the final day on 182/5 while chasing 463, but New Zealand fast bowler Matt Henry ran through the lower order. Henry claimed the last five wickets, finishing with figures of 6/29 in the innings.His match figures of 11/109, following 5/80 in the first innings, are the best by a New Zealand bowler against England in a Test match. It was also the first 10-wicket match haul of Henry’s 35-Test career.
Which aspect of the recent Test match do you find most impressive?
The win was only New Zealand’s seventh Test victory in England in 95 years of touring and their second at The Oval, the first having come in 1999.
