ENG vs NZ 2026: England fined and docked 12 WTC points for slow over rate in second Test

England has been fined 50 per cent of their match fees and docked 12 points in the ICC World Test Championship standings after maintaining a slow over rate during their 253-run loss to New Zealand in the Second Test at the Oval.

The Three Lions were ruled 12 overs short of the allotted target, and now sit in seventh place with 38 points, but see their points percentage drop from 34.72 to 26.38. The sanction was imposed by on-field umpires Adrian Holdstock and Nitin Menon, third umpire Rod Tucker and fourth umpire Graham Lloyd. England’s stand-in skipper for the game, Joe Root, pleaded guilty and accepted the sanctions without the need for a formal hearing.

“In accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to minimum over-rate offences, players are fined five per cent of their match fee for each over their team fails to bowl within the allotted time, with the maximum penalty capped at 50 per cent of the match fee,” an official ICC media release said.

“In addition, as per Article 16.11.2 of the ICC World Test Championship playing conditions, a side is penalised one point for each over short. Consequently, 12 World Test Championship points have been deducted from England’s points total,” the release added.

England, who finished Day 4 at 182 for 5, were bundled out in under an hour on the morning of Day 5. Root was the first to fall, being trapped LBW by Matt Henry, who picked up all five wickets on the day to finish with figures of 6 for 29. Adding to his 5 for 80 from the first innings, the seamer finished with career-best match figures of 11 for 109, which earned him the Player of the Match award.

The win meant that the Black Caps levelled the series 1-1, after England produced a dominant performance to win the first Test at Lord’s by 115 runs. The series decider will be played at Trent Bridge from Thursday, June 25.