Broad surprised as England fined

It was the shortest Ashes series in history, but England have found themselves in hot water for being too slow.

As pundits and cricket lovers try to digest a five-match series that lasted just 18 days - the shortest in the history of the game - the Ashes winners have been fined for a slow over-rate in the fifth and final Test at The Oval.

ICC match referee Jeff Crowe, the former New Zealand batsman, ruled that Alastair Cook's men were two overs short of the required rate in their innings-and-46-run loss in south London which, nevertheless, saw England emerge with a 3-2 series win over Australia.

The ICC's code determines that players are fined 10 per cent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, with the captain fined double that amount.

So Cook, in his position as captain, was fined 40 per cent of his match fee, and the remainder of his England teammates 20 per cent each.

And it appears the news hadn't been passed on to at least one member of the England team, who have been celebrating their Ashes victory.

The ICC said Cook pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing.