Don’t write off champions: Nathan Lyon on Kohli’s recent batting slump
The Australian team must be hoping to take advantage of Virat Kohli’s prolonged batting slump when the two sides clash in the five-Test series for the Border-Gavaskar trophy
The Indian cricket team have been fined 20 per cent of their match fees for maintaining a slow-over rate during the 66-run defeat against Australia in the first ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.
David Boon of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees imposed the fine after the Virat Kohli-led side were found to be one over short of the target following the consideration of time allowance.
“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 20 per cent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time,” the ICC said in a statement.
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“Kohli pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing. On-field umpires Rod Tucker and Sam Nogajski, TV umpire Paul Reiffel and fourth umpire Gerard Abood levelled the charge,” the statement added.
The first ODI of the three-match series was played for more than an hour’s of the scheduled time. It was supposed to end at 10.15 p.m. local time, but the final ball was delivered at 11.10 p.m. It was played for about eight-and-a-half hours.
The match on Saturday was also held up during Australia’s innings after a couple of protesters came onto the pitch, delaying the proceedings. However, they caused a delay of only about five minutes.
“That was the longest 50 overs in the field I’ve ever had, that’s for sure,” Smith told reporters after the match.
“I don’t know what to put it down to. Obviously there was the (pitch invaders) who came on the field in India’s innings which took a bit of time. And I think they went 45 minutes over the scheduled time and we were something similar,” he added.
“I don’t know why. Not sure why. But it certainly felt like a long time out there,” Smith said.
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