Ben Stokes questions over rate penalties, demands common sense reforms

MANCHESTER: England captain Ben Stokes on Tuesday urged a rethink of current over rate rules in Test cricket, arguing that they unfairly penalise pace heavy teams, especially outside the subcontinent.

Speaking to media ahead of the fourth Ashes Test in Manchester, Stokes accepted England’s recent over rate penalty but argued that the rules should be adapted to suit varying playing conditions around the world.

"You can't have the same rules in Asia, where a spinner is bowling 70 percent of the overs, and apply them in New Zealand, Australia, or England, where it's 70–80 percent seam,” Stokes said. 

“A spinner's over takes less time than a seamer's. So common sense would suggest the over-rate rules need to be adjusted according to the region.”

England have been frequently penalised for slow over-rates, losing 22 points during the previous World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. However, Stokes said it's not a major concern for him.

"Over-rate isn't something that I worry about, but that's not to say I purposely slow things down. I do understand the frustration, but I think there needs to be a hard look at how it's structured," he explained.

He highlighted the physical toll on fast bowlers and how injuries can also impact over-rates. 

“Fast bowlers are bending their backs consistently. As the game progresses, the overs will naturally take longer due to fatigue,” he said.

“In our last Test, we had an injury to our spinner [Shoaib Bashir], so on day five we had to rely solely on seamers. That’s obviously going to slow things down.”

Stokes also noted that higher scoring rates and more frequent boundaries may be affecting the time taken between overs.

"There’s so much that can influence over-rates, it can’t just be, ‘this is the time, this is what you need to do.’ You have to maintain the quality of cricket as well," he concluded.