Now, Australia’s cricket team is under fire. Their abysmally slow over rate on day 1 of the Test match vs England at the Gabba has caused a deserved uproar. Seven wickets fell in that first session, the team bowling only 24 overs. In that second session, they only added another 23, well short of the minimum 90 overs needed. Impeccably slow over rate actually cost them more than a 20 run penalty. This, of course, has led to criticism that it raised an unprofessional stink over tactics used by captain Steve Smith during the Test.
Smith used a lot of time during the match, both between overs and even between balls, to change field placements. Reaching observers have suggested that these delays were a strategic play. They believed it was a tactic to avoid having to bat at the end of a long day. This has led to widespread derision from supporters and past players as well.
In an article for The Telegraph, former England international cricketer Steven Finn called out Smith’s prolonged field-setting shenanigans, often resetting the field after every ball. Simon Katich, no fan of the current arrangement either, called Australia’s painfully slow over rate “embarrassing.” By the end of the day’s play, Australia’s over rate was at a very concerning minus-8. This catastrophic drop-off sent shockwaves through the artistic and fandom community alike.
Even with a total of 30 additional minutes of play, Australia simply could not bowl 74 overs out in a day. They were 16 overs short of reaching their target. This left them completely void of the second new ball after 80 overs – a significant weapon in Test cricket. The absence of veteran spinner Nathan Lyon has been pointed to as a key reason for this slow performance.
The slow over rate allowed England to increase their score by 45 runs at tea, with their total rising from 196/4 to 241/4. The impact of that performance is profound. Apparently Steve Smith has a one-game suspension in the works because the team has failed to fulfil the over-rate requirements.
Many fans expressed their frustrations on social media, with one user stating, “Not to mention Smith wasting time to ensure they don’t have to bat tonight. Has cost them 20+ runs now and wasted everyone’s time.” Another fan remarked, “Bloody joke. Yet we ask Shield teams to bowl 96. Go figure.”
Public backlash and critics have come out with potential solutions to the problem of slow over rates in cricket. One fan suggested giving penalty runs in-match to teams that go under the over-rate threshold. They drew attention to the fact that on Australia’s performance alone, England would incur an extra 45 penalty runs.
