England vs New Zealand: Joe Root-led hosts fined 40 percent of match fee for slow over rate in Lord's Test

London: England have been fined 40 percent of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate against New Zealand in the first Test at Lord’s, the ICC said on Monday. ICC match referee Chris Broad imposed the sanction after Joe Root’s side was ruled to be two overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration. [caption id=“attachment_9693921” align=“alignnone” width=“640”]  England were found to be two overs short of the target in the first Test against New Zealand after time allowances were taken into consideration. AP[/caption] “In accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to minimum over-rate offences, players are fined 20 percent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time,” an ICC release stated. Root pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing. On-field umpires Michael Gough and Richard Kettleborough, third umpire Richard Illingworth and fourth umpire Mike Burns levelled the charge against the home team.