Slow over rate in cricket is one of the most crucial aspects. Every captain is very aware of this factor in any game format because a slow rate can affect the captain’s match fee. Sometimes captains are primarily fined by the match referee when they are guilty of slow over rate. So every captain needs to have an eye on the slow over rate. But what is the meaning of slow over rate in cricket? Why are captains fined for slow over rate?
What Is Slow Over Rate In Cricket
Before we know about the slow over rate in cricket, let’s look at over rate. According to our general cricket knowledge, limited-overs cricket is played in terms of overs. That is 50 overs per one ODI innings and 20 overs per T20 innings. But Test cricket is played on a time basis, which means a Test match lasts five days. However, all these three formats have a rule called over rate.
The over rate rule is mainly formed because of the match duration time. It means every match has to be played in a certain amount of time. If this rule were not formed, the bowling team would take advantage, and the fielding side took lots of time to plan batsman dismissal. Then the T20 match, which is supposed to be complete in 3 hours, has to be watched for a whole day. So this rule is applied for the fielding team to avoid such time-wasting things.
What Is Over Rate In Cricket
However, the factor that indicates how many overs the fielding team has bowled in one hour is called over rate. That means the over rate is equal to the number of overs bowled per hour.
Over Rate For Each Format
According to this rule, the standard time to complete an over is 4 minutes. In T20 cricket, 40 overs are played, so 40 * 4 + 20 minutes innings break equals 180 minutes. It means a T20 match must end in 3 hours. Hence the minimum over rate set by the ICC for the T20 format is 14.11. That means the fielding team must complete at least 14.1 overs per hour.
In ODI cricket, the two teams play a total of 100 overs. So one-day match duration is 100 * 4 + 45 minutes innings break that equals 445 minutes. It means a single one-day match must complete in seven and a half hours. So the minimum over rate set by the ICC for the ODI format is 14.28. That means the fielding team must complete a minimum of 14.2 overs per hour.
In Test cricket, 90 overs per day must be completed. So each day of test match duration is 90 * 4 + 40 minutes Lunch break + 20 minutes tea break that equals 420 minutes. It means a day’s play in Test cricket must finish in 7 hours. So the minimum over rate set by the ICC for the test format is 15.0. That means the fielding team must complete at least 15 overs per hour.
Also Read – What Is Sight Screen In Cricket? Simple & Best Explanation
Slow Over Rate In Cricket
Now we know the minimum over rate for all three formats. If a fielding team bowls less than the minimum over rate mentioned above, it is called a slow over rate in cricket. For example, if a fielding team bowls 12 overs per hour in a T20 match, the team will have a slow over rate in cricket. But this slow over rate calculation included lots of factors. Let’s have a look at those crucial factors.
Factors Involved In Slow Over Rate Calculation
Many factors are considered when calculating this slow over rate in cricket. The most important thing is slow over rate is never calculated during the match. It means the match referee does not set the clock and watches the match and calculates how many overs have passed in an hour. The slow over rate in cricket is calculated after the match is finished. We have already mentioned above that when the referee calculates a slow over rate in cricket. He considers many factors.
The time takes for another batsman to arrive after the wicket falls, the time spent on drinks break time, the time wasted when taking a DRS. Also, the time wasted when someone gets injured and time is taken for the checking run-outs. Apart from these factors, sometimes batters also waste some time when they have an issue with the sight screen and changing their equipment during the break. So after the match, the referee considers all such factors and calculates the ultimate over rate of the match.
However, if all these are removed, you may doubt how slow over rate forms. The answer is straightforward. When a batsman is batting well, the captain and bowler take a lot of time to control the runs, set the field, and plan how to get him out. Also, if a team has more pace bowlers, it will take a little more time to complete the overs because the fast bowler takes more time to bowl than the spinner. It means if a spinner completes an over in two to three minutes, the pace bowler takes about five to six minutes. So, such factors can lead to short-time loss during the match and slow over rate applied on the fielding team.
Punishment For Slow Over Rate In Cricket
The team captain should take full responsibility for this slow over rate in cricket. The bowling changes, the field placements, and the strategies that embarrass the batsman are all in the captain’s hands. So the punishment will also be applied to the team captain. And this punishment comes in many forms. If the slow over rate is low, the captain and team members will be subject to a percentage cut in match fees. However, this fine is more for the captain.
So two to three overs slow over rate can rival a fine like this without causing much trouble. Otherwise, if the slow over rate is too high, the team captain who has one or six overs or repeats the slow over rate frequently will be fined and banned for one or two matches. So slow over rate in cricket puts a lot of pressure on most of the captains. At times, this pressure can cause many captains on the field to make bad decisions and fail. But the ones who think sharp and make the right decisions fastly can overcome the pressure and achieve great success. The best examples are Ricky Ponting and MS Dhoni.
