Over rate in Test cricket

[gadj1976]

So the Final of the International Test cricket is bringing the over rate into focus. It's been an issue for years.

The paying public deserve 90 overs + in a day.

What can be done to assist?

Pretty easy IMO.

1. start games 45 minutes earlier
2. don't go to breaks until the minimum over rate is reached - it's a commonly used tactic to delay over rates
3. if bad light stops play at the end of the day, start the next day 30 minutes earlier
4. fine the captain and team of the fielding side, 150% of their match fee.
5. suspend the captain of the fielding side, 5 matches.
6. games must have 450 overs across 5 full days of cricket.
7. Allow for an extra day
8. Where there are lights, just play!
9, Umpires need to chastise players for delaying the game and penalise accordingly.
10. Penalise the fielding team xx points in the International standings

The fact that teams fielding predominantly spinning bowlers can't bowl 90 overs in a day is a joke.

Yet in IPL, every team makes the time limit. No wonder test cricket is dying.

* weather permitting
* light permitting

[Senor Moto Gadili]

Over rates aren't a big deal, so long as it's not compromising results. I can't remember the last time a result was compromised by slow over rates. The current penalties are fine.

[RB]

Out of curiosity SMG, what number of overs would you be happy with? 80 per day? 70? 60?

Over rates aren't improving which suggests to me that the penalties aren't sufficient.

[Insider_Trading]

This one is easy to fix.

Make the penalty so great that it happens once and then never happens again.

I'm a massive believer in suspending the captain.
And if you wish to be lenient give them a warning first.

It happened in the BBL a few years ago.
Brisbane Heat had a captain suspended (McCullum maybe?), happened once and hasn't happened since.

First time a team is down. Give the captain a warning. Next time it happens. Give them a suspension and no pay.
Guaranteed it will happen once and will never happen again.

[Armchair expert]

Get rid of the drinks breaks, 20 people run onto the field after each over anyway.

[Senor Moto Gadili]

Out of curiosity SMG, what number of overs would you be happy with? 80 per day? 70? 60?

Over rates aren't improving which suggests to me that the penalties aren't sufficient.

I don't care, so long as we get a result. The biggest blight on Test cricket are dead pitches and boring draws. Tell me the last time a Test match result was compromised because we didn't bowl 450 overs across the 5 days. Look at how England are playing. Does anyone really care if they are 3 overs short on their daily quota? Same this game.

[jackpot jim]

Out of curiosity SMG, what number of overs would you be happy with? 80 per day? 70? 60?

Over rates aren't improving which suggests to me that the penalties aren't sufficient.

I don't care, so long as we get a result. The biggest blight on Test cricket are dead pitches and boring draws. Tell me the last time a Test match result was compromised because we didn't bowl 450 overs across the 5 days. Look at how England are playing. Does anyone really care if they are 3 overs short on their daily quota? Same this game.

The fact is that if there is meant to be a minimum 90 overs bowled in a day it should be bowled simple as that !!! Whats the point of having an extra 30 minutes to achieve it and still finish up way short? May as well just go back to time and end up what the West Indies were doing back in the 80s and bowling 65 - 70 overs in a day making it virtually impossible for the Opposition to score quick enough to force a result.

Would it be fair that in an ODI the team bats 1st faced 50 overs and the team batting 2nd only got 46 overs because of a slow over rate?

Or in AFL there was NO time on ? Just play a flat 25 minutes each quarter and who cares if we lost real time through time wasting etc and cost a team a chance of winning?

In this World Test Championship Final it's more important than ever to ensure there's a MINIMUM of 450 overs bowled given that a DRAW is good enough for a team to share the title. Thats why they have the reserve day for time lost for weather tho i'm assuming it's not for slow over rates which makes it just ridiculous.


That fact is that because overs have been lost in this match, that has forced Australia to declare earlier than they may have wanted to as if they had the extra 20 - 30 overs or whatever it is that has been lost they could have batted longer and taken the lead to over 500 with still plenty of time to bowl India out.

Yes you can point out that in recent times that slow over rates isn't affecting the result of a match but when it does it's not good enough.

[whufc]

Out of curiosity SMG, what number of overs would you be happy with? 80 per day? 70? 60?

Over rates aren't improving which suggests to me that the penalties aren't sufficient.

I don't care, so long as we get a result. The biggest blight on Test cricket are dead pitches and boring draws. Tell me the last time a Test match result was compromised because we didn't bowl 450 overs across the 5 days. Look at how England are playing. Does anyone really care if they are 3 overs short on their daily quota? Same this game.

Ones that come to mind:

The epic Pakistan v my test last year I think
We’ve had a couple of recent scg tests end in close draws where I’m sure 450 overs weren’t bowled.

[Tony Clifton]

Have they done a proper analysis of where the time goes?

Is it setting fields?
Bowler chatting to the captain?
Batters swapping gloves / getting drinks?
DRS?

Presumably a combo but I think the game in general could benefit from have an efficiency tidy up.

[daysofourlives]

So the Final of the International Test cricket is bringing the over rate into focus. It's been an issue for years.

The paying public deserve 90 overs + in a day.

What can be done to assist?

Pretty easy IMO.

1. start games 45 minutes earlier
2. don't go to breaks until the minimum over rate is reached - it's a commonly used tactic to delay over rates
3. if bad light stops play at the end of the day, start the next day 30 minutes earlier
4. fine the captain and team of the fielding side, 150% of their match fee.
5. suspend the captain of the fielding side, 5 matches.
6. games must have 450 overs across 5 full days of cricket.
7. Allow for an extra day
8. Where there are lights, just play!
9, Umpires need to chastise players for delaying the game and penalise accordingly.
10. Penalise the fielding team xx points in the International standings

The fact that teams fielding predominantly spinning bowlers can't bowl 90 overs in a day is a joke.

Yet in IPL, every team makes the time limit. No wonder test cricket is dying.

* weather permitting
* light permitting

IMO both teams must be penalised, its just as much the batsman wasting time. The batsman are entitled twats, looking at you Dave, Steve and Marnus.
You cant make them stay out there until the overs are bowled whilst having all the penalties geared towards the bowling team. On a hot day the batsman would waste more time to push the last session out to 3-31/2 hours
Only allow a change of gloves at drinks breaks, if you cant go 60mins (40m on a hot day) without a change youre too fussy.
Cam Green got struck on the fleshy part of the upper arm/shoulder last night, the physio came out and wasted 5 mins. Why?? Give it a rub and face up to the next ball like any normal person would have to.

[Hector]

So the Final of the International Test cricket is bringing the over rate into focus. It's been an issue for years.

The paying public deserve 90 overs + in a day.

What can be done to assist?

Pretty easy IMO.

1. start games 45 minutes earlier
2. don't go to breaks until the minimum over rate is reached - it's a commonly used tactic to delay over rates
3. if bad light stops play at the end of the day, start the next day 30 minutes earlier
4. fine the captain and team of the fielding side, 150% of their match fee.
5. suspend the captain of the fielding side, 5 matches.
6. games must have 450 overs across 5 full days of cricket.
7. Allow for an extra day
8. Where there are lights, just play!
9, Umpires need to chastise players for delaying the game and penalise accordingly.
10. Penalise the fielding team xx points in the International standings

The fact that teams fielding predominantly spinning bowlers can't bowl 90 overs in a day is a joke.

Yet in IPL, every team makes the time limit. No wonder test cricket is dying.

* weather permitting
* light permitting

IMO both teams must be penalised, its just as much the batsman wasting time. The batsman are entitled twats, looking at you Dave, Steve and Marnus.
You cant make them stay out there until the overs are bowled whilst having all the penalties geared towards the bowling team. On a hot day the batsman would waste more time to push the last session out to 3-31/2 hours
Only allow a change of gloves at drinks breaks, if you cant go 60mins (40m on a hot day) without a change youre too fussy.
Cam Green got struck on the fleshy part of the upper arm/shoulder last night, the physio came out and wasted 5 mins. Why?? Give it a rub and face up to the next ball like any normal person would have to.

This is a big one for me. No one other than the players on the field should be allowed onto the oval between designated drinks breaks (except probably for if a head hit has occurred).

Bowlers need to return to their mark immediately and batters ready. Warning for first time, run penalties if it continues. And suspend players/captains.

[gazzamagoo]

Monetary fines are pointless,
make it a run penalty.
If the fielding team only bowl 80 overs in the day, then give the side batting 1 run per ball not bowled.

[Booney]

I'll fix it for you.

When someone slows down play the umpire says "Get on with it".

When a batsman asks to change gloves, have a drink and wipe down with a towel after 4 overs the umpire says "No, get on with it".

Like they used too.

[DOC]

Yep

Slow over rates is caused by poor umpiring.

[Rik E Boy]

So the Final of the International Test cricket is bringing the over rate into focus. It's been an issue for years.

The paying public deserve 90 overs + in a day.

What can be done to assist?

Pretty easy IMO.

1. start games 45 minutes earlier
2. don't go to breaks until the minimum over rate is reached - it's a commonly used tactic to delay over rates
3. if bad light stops play at the end of the day, start the next day 30 minutes earlier
4. fine the captain and team of the fielding side, 150% of their match fee.
5. suspend the captain of the fielding side, 5 matches.
6. games must have 450 overs across 5 full days of cricket.
7. Allow for an extra day
8. Where there are lights, just play!
9, Umpires need to chastise players for delaying the game and penalise accordingly.
10. Penalise the fielding team xx points in the International standings

The fact that teams fielding predominantly spinning bowlers can't bowl 90 overs in a day is a joke.

Yet in IPL, every team makes the time limit. No wonder test cricket is dying.

* weather permitting
* light permitting

It will never work. Too much common sense!

regards,

REB

[amber_fluid]

I'll fix it for you.

When someone slows down play the umpire says "Get on with it".

When a batsman asks to change gloves, have a drink and wipe down with a towel after 4 overs the umpire says "No, get on with it".

Like they used too.

That’ll hurt the players feelings

[tigerpie]

Over rates are not going to improve because of drs, hydration breaks (umpires can't stop it for health reasons) and captains taking forever to set a field
Apparently test cricket is in danger of becoming irrelevant. Why? Because there's far too many periods of inactivity.
As everyone says, Warner Smith and co changing gloves and getting a drink every 20 minutes is just ridiculous.
You get a drink on the hour unless it's bullshit hot or you're injured.
If you have to bowl 2 spinners for the last hour to get to the 90 then the umpires should be telling the captain to do so.
If you don't make the 90 then the skip can't play next game...simple!!!

[FlyingHigh]

Saw some stats that England bowled 20 over in 156 minutes on that Third Day. Why it took a UN meeting after every second ball with blokes like Broad and Robinson running 30 metres to get involved every time.

Similarly in the World Test final, just after lunch on Day 4, when around 300 over should have been bowled, both teams were a cumulative 30 overs behind. Over five days that is 45 overs, ie half a day's play, or ten percent of the game. Let's blow the siren at the 18 minute mark of the last quarter.

The umpires need to step in, but they also need the full backing of the ICC, which would have to be one of the most useless organisations in world sport.

Time for some real penalties, and time to not care what they players think, they have had plenty of time to regulate themselves.
No more fines, but a system of penalty points for the bowling team where:
the captain gets 40 points
the vice captain and bowlers get 30
and the batsmen get 20
and once they reach 100, they get suspended for a game, 200 suspended for two games and so one. They never get removed like driving demerits.

Points accumulate, so if a captain is found guilty three times, he misses a game and is up to 120 points, so two more infractions and he misses two games.
For batsmen it might mean get suspended for a game in around five years, and then two after ten.
If a batsman becomes a captain, his points stay with him so he might have 60 points already, and is one infraction away from missing a Test.

[Senor Moto Gadili]

Saw some stats that England bowled 20 over in 156 minutes on that Third Day. Why it took a UN meeting after every second ball with blokes like Broad and Robinson running 30 metres to get involved every time.

Similarly in the World Test final, just after lunch on Day 4, when around 300 over should have been bowled, both teams were a cumulative 30 overs behind. Over five days that is 45 overs, ie half a day's play, or ten percent of the game. Let's blow the siren at the 18 minute mark of the last quarter.

The umpires need to step in, but they also need the full backing of the ICC, which would have to be one of the most useless organisations in world sport.

Time for some real penalties, and time to not care what they players think, they have had plenty of time to regulate themselves.
No more fines, but a system of penalty points for the bowling team where:
the captain gets 40 points
the vice captain and bowlers get 30
and the batsmen get 20
and once they reach 100, they get suspended for a game, 200 suspended for two games and so one. They never get removed like driving demerits.

Points accumulate, so if a captain is found guilty three times, he misses a game and is up to 120 points, so two more infractions and he misses two games.
For batsmen it might mean get suspended for a game in around five years, and then two after ten.
If a batsman becomes a captain, his points stay with him so he might have 60 points already, and is one infraction away from missing a Test.

Australia have played 4 tests in England with a result being achieved in each game, so what's the issue if the over rate is slow. So long as we get a resullt, it's no big deal. Do you want a scenario where the series is locked at 2 all and both Cummings and Stokes are suspended from the decider? The biggest issues for Test cricket are;
1. Players not making themselves available because they commit to T20.
2. Dead pitches which don't allow a result, no matter how many overs are bowled
3. Negative bowling and field placings i.e. thè Wagner effect

[FlyingHigh]

Saw some stats that England bowled 20 over in 156 minutes on that Third Day. Why it took a UN meeting after every second ball with blokes like Broad and Robinson running 30 metres to get involved every time.

Similarly in the World Test final, just after lunch on Day 4, when around 300 over should have been bowled, both teams were a cumulative 30 overs behind. Over five days that is 45 overs, ie half a day's play, or ten percent of the game. Let's blow the siren at the 18 minute mark of the last quarter.

The umpires need to step in, but they also need the full backing of the ICC, which would have to be one of the most useless organisations in world sport.

Time for some real penalties, and time to not care what they players think, they have had plenty of time to regulate themselves.
No more fines, but a system of penalty points for the bowling team where:
the captain gets 40 points
the vice captain and bowlers get 30
and the batsmen get 20
and once they reach 100, they get suspended for a game, 200 suspended for two games and so one. They never get removed like driving demerits.

Points accumulate, so if a captain is found guilty three times, he misses a game and is up to 120 points, so two more infractions and he misses two games.
For batsmen it might mean get suspended for a game in around five years, and then two after ten.
If a batsman becomes a captain, his points stay with him so he might have 60 points already, and is one infraction away from missing a Test.

Australia have played 4 tests in England with a result being achieved in each game, so what's the issue if the over rate is slow. So long as we get a resullt, it's no big deal. Do you want a scenario where the series is locked at 2 all and both Cummings and Stokes are suspended from the decider? The biggest issues for Test cricket are;
1. Players not making themselves available because they commit to T20.
2. Dead pitches which don't allow a result, no matter how many overs are bowled
3. Negative bowling and field placings i.e. thè Wagner effect

I agree that all those things are major issues for the game too. I would say the first one is equally as big as the over rates with the next two down a rung. Dead, or unfair pitches (ie Gabba last year) should be weeded out by a strong ICC through risk of removing a Test, which is what is happening.

I would have no issue if Cummins, Stokes, Smith, Starc, Root were all suspended from the final Test. It's not as if it would come out of the blue, they would have been aware of their demerit points going into the series and the fourth Test. The motivation would be to stop it from getting to that point anyway

Are you happy people paying a certain amount for their tickets are being dudded 5-10% of their purchase?