Former cricketers slam Australia’s stand-in captain after only 74 overs were bowled on Day 1, alleging a deliberate tactic to avoid facing the new pink ball at night.
December 5, 2025: Australia’s stand-in captain Steve Smith has come under severe criticism from cricket experts and former players for his team’s alleged deliberate time-wasting tactics on the opening day of the second Ashes Test in Brisbane.
Despite a half-hour extension to the day’s play, the Australian team managed to bowl only 74 overs—significantly short of the mandated 90. This figure marks the fewest number of overs ever bowled in a full day’s play in Australia.
Deliberate Tactic to Avoid Pink Ball
Experts widely believe the slow over-rate was a deliberate tactical decision by the hosts. With England nine wickets down for most of the last session, the delay ensured that Australia would not take the final wicket before Stumps. This allowed the Australian openers to avoid facing the new, swinging pink ball under the difficult floodlights in the night session.
- Former Australian cricketer Simon Katich slammed the performance: “To think we are going to get through an extra half-hour, so six and a half hours’ cricket, and we are going to get 74 overs in. It’s beyond a joke, an absolute joke.”
- Former England pacer Steven Finn called for umpire intervention, pointing out Smith’s constant field changes between balls: “Certainly strikes me that this is a good time for Australia to be delaying things… Definitely a tactic here, and the umpires should have a word with him.”
- Former Australia captain Mark Waugh agreed: “I don’t think it was acceptable at the end (of the day). We know what (Smith) was trying to do. He didn’t want to face any overs… but the umpires have got to step in then, when you’re deliberately slowing the game down.”
ICC Rule Change Provides Loophole
The controversy highlights a recent change in ICC rules. Until 2023, such a slow over-rate would have resulted in severe penalties, including fines and the deduction of crucial World Test Championship (WTC) points—a penalty that famously cost Australia a spot in the 2021 WTC final.
However, the ICC tweaked its regulations last year to exempt innings under 80 overs from over-rate penalties. This change, reportedly pushed by Australian opener Usman Khawaja, created a loophole that the hosts appeared to exploit, ensuring they faced no punishment for the extreme delay.
As a result of the drawn-out day, Australia needed only six overs on Friday morning to claim England’s last wicket.