Former England captain Michael Vaughan:
When it gets to the fifth day you have to bowl the 90 overs. I have no idea why on days one, two, three, or four we see the game played at a snail’s pace.
On day five when the players and umpires know 90 have to be bowled they are running around, there won’t be as many unofficial drinks breaks.
I would make it simple. You have to bowl 90 overs in a day regardless of the time.
BBC chief cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew:
I have spent 30 years banging on about over-rates. On the face of it is it boring but it is actually really important because it is just a terrible look.
You cannot have up to 15 overs not being bowled. It is totally unacceptable.
It is like going to the cinema, watching Pearl and Dean and then the lights go on and you are kicked out. Fines don’t work.
Now teams have time allowed for breaks but they should be penalised on that. There should be a stop clock for drinks breaks. Every time someone comes on to the field to bring gloves or drinks on a clock should start and that counts against that team.
Then you have to impose penalty runs. It is the only currency players understand.
Test Match Special statistician Andy Zaltzman:
The general play in Test cricket is really good but surely it would be improved by having more of it per day.
There is a clock between overs now and the only problem is players completely ignore it.
You need an in-game penalty of runs against the batting or bowling side if they are obviously wasting time, maybe with a green or yellow card warning system.
Former England captain Sir Alastair Cook:
The issue has been going on for years.
I am not blaming the players. It is time for the ICC and the umpires to step in. The speed of play is their responsibility. Drinks breaks need to be shorter.
As players you will always push the boundaries. A 10:30 start would allow another half an hour but would just add to the overall issue.
As a captain the last thing you are worried about is the speed of play. You are aware of it because you get fined but the game is far more important for you. It is about winning that moment.
BBC cricket commentator Simon Mann:
We need a proper penalty to concentrate players’ minds. You could have a run penalty but it is a little artificial.
I would calculate how many overs the batting or bowling side is down – it is not just the bowling side that wastes time – and next time they bowl take a fielder off for two, three or five overs.
Former England bowler Steven Finn:
A run penalty would be better than a monetary fine. The problem is there are quite a lot of things that aren’t the fault of the bowling team at all – gloves changed too frequently, treatment for minor injuries.
It is more complicated than simply punishing the bowling team and I wouldn’t want the quality of cricket to be diminished by rushing through too much.
BBC cricket presenter and commentator Isa Guha:
Slow over-rates have been a problem for a long time in Test cricket and I feel sorry for the spectators who pay good money and feel like they are missing out on action they have paid for.
We can be a bit more flexible with the hours of play and start half an hour earlier the following day to complete overs lost the previous day. We are all here as broadcasters and it would be straightforward to communicate that to the spectators. That would be my solution.
