Over rates: Why skippers are speeding up

Captains Sachin Tendulkar of Mumbai Indians and Adam Gilchrist of Deccan Chargers were really on their toes during their team's fielding in yesterday's Indian Premier League game at the Centurion.

The bowling changes were swift, the field placings quick and the change over between overs brisk.

After all, they did not want to lose $40,000 from their pockets. That is the penalty for the captain for a second offence for slow over rate. Both have already served the first penalty of $20,000 for slow over rate. They were penalised in their first-leg match in Durban.

Simply said, the penalty for slow over rates in the second edition of the IPL has been mind boggling.

For the first offence, the captain is fined $20,000. For second, the penalty is $40,000 for the captain and $10,000 for each player (total 1,40,000). For the third offence, the fine is $50,000 for the captain and a match ban while the team members lose $20,000 each (total $2,50,000).

Some of the local Indian players have been contracted for the entire season for $20,000. Imagine the player's fate if he has to pay for the second and third offence.

Even some of the match referees were stunned when they read about the fines in the rule book. Looking at the amount, they are trying to avoid the fines as much possible and even helping out by sending messages to the captains to speed up.

"Last time we had kept a fine of $500. The franchises would pay it and no one was bothered. We had most of the matches ending 20-30 minutes late. This time if there is a delay, it will pinch them," tournament director Dhiraj Malhotra informed MiD DAY when asked about the thought behind the hefty fines.

IPL vice-chairman Niranjan Shah said: "It is to make the captains speed up the game. With double headers, we can't afford any delay. If the first match gets delayed, then it could affect the start of the second game."

Besides Gilchrist and Tendulkar, Delhi Daredevils skipper Virender Sehwag has also copped the $20,000 fine during their match against Chennai Super Kings on April 23 at Durban.

Daredevils had won the high-scoring game by nine runs after scoring 189 and restricting Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men to 180.