New Zealand have suffered a blow to their World Test Championship final hopes as the International Cricket Council has deducted WTC points of both England and the Blackcaps for maintaining slow over-rate during the first Test in Christchurch.
While England are already out of the qualification, the Blackcaps are still in contention to make it to their second final of the Test championship. However, the ICC has fined 15 per cent of match fees and deducted three WTC competition points.
Due to the point deduction, the Blackcaps have dropped from joint fourth place to outright fifth in the nine-team table. They were tied with Sri Lanka on 50 PCT, which has dipped to 47.92. Following this deduction, New Zealand can now reach a maximum of 55.36 percent if they win their remaining two Test matches at home against England.
Both the teams were found three overs short of the target time available after allowances were considered. Captains Tom Latham and Ben Stokes pleaded guilty and accepted the sanction
The Blackcaps lost the opening Test of the series by 8 wickets. They had handed a paltry target of 104 to England which they chased in record 12.4 overs. The Kiwis had hit themselves on the foot as they had dropped several chances during the first innings after they got the visitors to 71/4 in the first innings after posting 348 batting first.
The chances let England make 499 with Harry Brook making 171. New Zealand were bowled out for 254 in the second innings.
The Blackcaps had a fine chance to qualify for the final at Lord's after they registered an unprecedented 3-0 series sweep over India at the latter's home last month. After that series and ahead of the first Test against England their PCT stood at 54.54. But following the loss and the deduction, they have a PCT of 47.92.
The two teams will face each other in the second Test in Basin Reserve, Wellington from December 6 onwards, while the series finale will take place in Seddon Park, Hamilton from December 14 onwards.
