England have been docked two World Test Championship (WTC) points and their players have been fined 40% of their match fee for maintaining a slow over rate in their epic win in the second Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge. This adds up to a total of 10 docked points for the side in this WTC cycle; they had lost eight points during the second Ashes Test in Brisbane last year.
The hosts were ruled to be two overs short, after allowances were taken into consideration, by the on-field umpires Michael Gough and Paul Reiffel, third umpire Rod Tucker and fourth umpire Martin Saggers. Captain Ben Stokes pleaded guilty to the offence, with match referee Richie Richardson imposing the sanction without the need for a formal hearing.
England's WTC points tally had risen to 42 after their win, before coming back down to 40. Importantly, their points percentage - the key criteria in determining where teams sit on the WTC table - fell from 25 to 23.80, putting them at eighth spot on the WTC table - behind New Zealand.
England had scripted a stunning victory at Trent Bridge, with Jonny Bairstow and Stokes putting on a dominating 179-run stand to help chase down 299 on the last day, having been reduced to 93 for 4 at one point. Bairstow blazed his way to 136 off 92 balls, his 77-ball hundred falling just one ball shy of England's 120-year-old record for their fastest Test century. Following Bairstow's dismissal, Stokes and Ben Foakes guided England home, the highest successful Test chase at Trent Bridge. Stokes remained unbeaten at the close with 75 off 70 balls.
In accordance with the ICC's rules relating to over-rate offences, players are fined 20% of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time. As per the WTC playing conditions, a side is penalised one point for each over short.