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England and Australia have been penalised for slow over rates throughout the Ashes, with the hosts the primary offenders.
- England was fined for slow over rates in all but one of the recent Ashes Tests
- Australia copped the maximum fine for one Test
- Ricky Ponting called on umpires to do more, while Nasser Hussain said teams should be denied their full lunch and tea breaks
Australia was fined 50 per cent of its match fee for coming up 10 overs short as it played for a rainy draw in the fourth Test at Old Trafford.
Teams are penalised 5 per cent of their match fee for every over they come up short, with 50 per cent the maximum.
And while Australia copped the biggest whack for a single match, England was cited for every Test except for the third at Headingley, which is the only game that did not go into a fifth day.
"England have been fined 10 per cent for the first Test, 45 per cent for the second, 15 per cent for the fourth, and 25 per cent for the fifth of their match fee for slow-over rate offences in the first two and the last two Tests respectively," the International Cricket Council (ICC) said.
Despite England being famed for their rapid batting under captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, that has not extended to their bowling, with regular field changes between balls taking time and requiring lengthy discussions on the field.
Batters also often call for new gloves, new bats and drinks outside designated breaks, while the often lengthy decision review system for examining possible wickets has extended the day's play.
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting said he was shocked that teams were still not hitting the designated 90 overs a day despite almost always playing an extra half an hour beyond the scheduled close of play.
"I just don't get it. I don't know where the time's going," Ponting said.
"The players have to take responsibility [and] I think the umpires can be more active in it as well.
"I think the umpires need to start just getting the players around more, getting them ready, getting them organised."
Australia opener Usman Khawaja last month revealed he had approached the ICC about reducing penalties for slow over rates in test matches after the governing body announced it had decided to soften sanctions.
Khawaja said it was "really frustrating" for players to lose their match fees despite delivering entertaining matches.
England lost 19 World Test Championship (WTC) points and reigning champions Australia dropped 10 for their slow rates in the Ashes, with Australia third in the standings and England fifth.
Ponting said missing out on something like a World Test Championship because of over rates, as Australia did last year, was too harsh, but ex-England skipper Nasser Hussain disagreed.
"I do think it is something that upsets fans. Tickets, especially in England, are very expensive. So you want to get the full day," Hussain said.
"If you pay for 90 overs, you should expect 90 overs."
He said fines and WTC points deductions were fitting and, like a teacher holding naughty kids back at recess, suggested denying teams their full 40-minute lunch and 20-minute tea break if they could not bowl 30 overs in the allotted two-hour sessions.
"You have to get TV companies to buy into it, but if you don't bowl your 30 overs, you have to stay on. You don't get your lunch, you don't get your cup of tea until you bowl your 30 overs," Hussain said.
"What that will do is make players get through the day quicker because the last thing you want is a three-and-a-half-hour last session.
"The seamers in particular aren't going to be overly thrilled."
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