Some days in Test cricket feel heavy not because of the runs scored or wickets taken but because of the choices made on the field. The opening day of the second Ashes Test in Brisbane became one such day, drawing attention not for a dramatic collapse or a heroic century but for how the clock kept ticking while the cricket barely moved. What should have been a full day of intense Ashes action turned into a simmering debate about gamesmanship, responsibility and the spirit of the contest.
Australia, led by stand-in captain Steve Smith, bowled only 74 of the required 90 overs despite receiving an extra half-hour of play. The long pauses between deliveries, repeated field adjustments and general slow pace left many fans frustrated and experts convinced that the hosts were intentionally dragging their feet. It also became the lowest number of overs bowled in a complete day’s play in Australia, a surprising statistic for a country known for brisk over rates and hard, fast cricket.
The criticism was swift. Simon Katich expressed disbelief, calling the situation “beyond a joke” as he questioned how an extended day could still end far short of the expected overs.
Steven Finn, commenting on a show, pointed out that Steve Smith repeatedly changed fields between balls, suggesting the delays were tactical. He believed Australia were trying to stop England from losing their final wicket before stumps, thereby avoiding facing a fresh pink ball under lights, a notoriously tricky scenario for batters. Steven Finn felt the umpires needed to step in, as every passing minute reduced the time Australia would have to begin their own innings in difficult conditions.
Former Australia captain Mark Waugh did not hold back either. He acknowledged that the tactic was obvious and felt the umpires had a responsibility to act when a team was deliberately slowing the game. His view was that Steve Smith simply did not want to face even a single over that evening.
Interestingly, this approach came with no real penalty risk. Until 2023, such deliberate slowing could have cost Australia valuable over-rate points and fines, something that had hurt them in the past, including contributing to their failure to reach the 2021 World Test Championship final. But last year, the ICC updated its rules to exclude innings under 80 overs from over-rate punishment, a change shaped in part by Usman Khawaja’s push for more leniency.
With the safety net of the revised rules, Australia stretched the session and ended the day needing just six overs the next morning to finish England off. But whether it was clever strategy or a stretch too far remains a talking point, one that added its own layer of tension to an already fiery Ashes series.
