England captain Ben Stokes demands over-rate difference during cricket matches. He spoke before the IND vs ENG 4th Test match recently. Stokes wants different rules for Asian countries and SENA nations. His team faced penalties for bowling too slowly in matches. And Ben Stokes refused to sign over-rate penalty form given by the ICC referee.
Cricket has rules about how fast teams must bowl their overs. Teams must finish a certain number of overs each day. Sometimes teams bowl too slowly and get punished for this.
Stokes believes Asian conditions need different over-rate rules than other places. Hot weather and spinning pitches make cricket different in Asia. Players get more tired when they play in these tough conditions.
Different Playing Conditions Need Different Rules
Ben Stokes demands over-rate difference between Asia and the SENA countries. SENA countries have cooler weather and different cricket pitches than Asia.
“Over-rate isn’t something that I worry about, but that’s not saying that I purposely slow things down. I do understand the frustration around it, but I honestly think there needs to be a real hard look at how it’s structured. You can’t have the same rules in Asia — where a spinner is bowling 70% of the overs — as in New Zealand, Australia, England, where it’s going to be 70-80% seam,” Stokes said.
In Asian countries, spin bowlers bowl most of the overs. Spin bowlers take less time between each ball they bowl. They need to think more about where to place the ball. This makes the game naturally faster in these regions.
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SENA countries use fast bowlers who bowl with more speed. Fast bowlers take more time between their deliveries usually. The weather stays cooler, so players feel less tired during matches, but the energy they put into it is high. These factors push teams to bowl their overs lately.
England Faces Penalties for Slow Over-Rates
England lost two World Test Championship points recently due to slow bowling. The ICC punished them after their last cricket match. These penalties hurt England’s chances in the championship rankings badly.
During the IND vs ENG 3rd Test, England struggled with time management. Players felt exhausted after playing cricket for fifteen straight days. High scoring rates also slowed down the game’s natural pace.
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Stokes refused to sign a form from the match referee. He felt signing would mean accepting guilt for the penalty. The captain wanted to protest against the current over-rate system.
Mental Coach Joins England Team
England hired Enoka Gilbert as their new mental skills coach recently. Gilbert will help players handle pressure during important cricket matches. The team believes mental strength plays a huge role in success.
“We can say as much as we want, but we don’t have the knowledge or the experience in pushing teams on to the next level. He (Gilbert) been able to put into words what we want to do a lot better than what me and Baz would ever be able to do it,” Stokes said.
Stokes hopes Gilbert can improve the team’s overall performance this season. Players need strong minds to deal with tough situations effectively. The IND vs ENG 4th Test will show how mental pressure affects teams.
