Vaughan Suggests Fines Ineffective for Slow Over-Rates

LONDON: Michael Vaughan, the former England captain, voiced his opinion on Sunday, advocating for the compulsory bowling of a complete 90 overs each day of a Test match.

During the ongoing third Test match between England and India, Vaughan told British media that simply fining teams for insufficient over-rates is an inadequate solution, especially given the financial status of most players.

“I do not believe financial penalties are effective. Most cricketers are quite affluent, so monetary fines won’t have a significant impact. This issue has plagued Test match cricket for some time,” he noted.

He also expressed his bewilderment at how teams frequently fail to meet the over quota in the initial days of a Test, yet consistently manage to bowl all 90 overs on the fifth and concluding day.

“While acknowledging factors such as heat and injuries, the requirement to bowl 90 overs on the fifth day is always met. I am puzzled as to why the game proceeds at such a slow tempo on days one, two, three, and four,” Vaughan stated.

The 50-year-old stressed the need for teams to maintain consistent urgency throughout all five days, not just on the last day.

“The game should simply mandate 90 overs on day one, and the same expectation should apply to day two. On day five, when players and umpires are aware that 90 overs must be bowled, they will be more proactive, and there will be fewer breaks.”

He added that ensuring teams regularly bowl the full allotment of overs each day would enhance the excitement and appeal of Test matches.

“Reducing delays by ensuring 90 overs are bowled daily would greatly improve the pace. I believe making it mandatory to bowl 90 overs would guarantee a more engaging match,” he concluded.

Notably, in the current Lord’s Test, India bowled only 83 overs on the first day and a mere 75 on the second, resulting in a cumulative shortfall of approximately 23 overs over the initial two days.