'Bitter Pill To Swallow': Tim Paine On Slow Over Rate Penalty Which Cost Them A Place In WTC Final

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Australian Test captain Tim Paine has revealed that losing out on a spot in the World Test Championship final due to slow over rate was a "bitter pill to swallow".

The wicket-keeper admitted that he had difficulty in watching the inaugural WTC final in Southampton due to the deduction of four points from Australia's World Test Championship tally in the Boxing Day Test against India in Melbourne last year.

"I didn't watch too much of it. I watched the last day. I turned it on excited to watch the first day. I thought I was excited, and then got a bit dirty and didn't watch it," Paine was quoted as saying by The Sydney Morning Herald on Monday.

The 36-year-old had no qualms about hiding his disappointment. "Bitterly disappointed that we weren't there because of over rates. We've always got things in place to try to help out with that, but unfortunately, it doesn't always work."

Paine mentioned by mistake that Australia was the only team to be docked points. South Africa were docked six points after falling three overs behind in the fourth Test against England in Johannesburg in 2020.

But he spoke about his issue with consistency in docking points. "We were behind on our overs, and that's what it is. My thing is just with the consistency. I haven't played in too many days where the full overs have been bowled, and to my knowledge, there hasn't been other teams docked points.

"Yeah, it's a bitter pill to swallow when you're the only team that's been docked points and you see it happen Test match after Test match, after Test match."

Australia's first assignment in the second edition of the World Test Championship will be the first Ashes Test against England in Brisbane.