'Really slack': Langer laments pivotal MCG breach

Australia coach Justin Langer has conceded his side was "really slack" in not keeping track of their over rate during this summer's Boxing Day Test, which ultimately cost them a spot in the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) Final.

The Australians were docked four WTC points for being two overs behind the rate during the Second Vodafone Test against India, with Langer saying he didn't know until after the Test had finished that they had been behind the rate and were in danger of being penalised.

Had Australia not been docked those four points, they would have finished the WTC cycle in second spot and earned the right to face India in the WTC Final in June.

Instead, New Zealand finished 0.3 per cent ahead of the Aussies and will face India in Southampton later this year.

Langer indicated the absence of long-time team manager Gavin Dovey, who was on family leave, meant there was one less set of eyes on the over rate during the Boxing Day Test, which contributed to the team being unaware of the situation until after the match.

The ICC's Playing Conditions state that the third umpire shall advise the fielding team of their over rate "every 30 minutes as a minimum", while the rate is also displayed on the big screen during the game.

Langer today supported Pat Cummins' comments immediately after the Test that the team was unaware that they were behind the rate, although he added they understood the possible significance of the sanction at the time.

"This might be the silliest thing I've ever said, but our manager Gavin Dovey ... he'd been away, he'd gone home for Christmas to be with his family," Langer told SEN.

"It wasn't until after the game that we realised our over rate was down. Now, that's really slack on our behalf.

"I remember we were in the team room afterwards and I spoke to Painey (skipper Tim Paine) and Dene Hills, our analyst, about it. I was a bit grumpy about it and I thought 'imagine if this cost us the World Test Championship'.

"And I mentioned it to the players afterwards that two overs down could cost us the World Test Championship. And so, we have to get better at that and make sure it doesn't happen in Sydney and Brisbane.

"It was relevant at the time and it certainly became incredibly significant over the weekend."

Cricket Australia's decision not to tour South Africa on medical grounds also denied Langer's side further opportunities to pick up points and qualify for the final, but he said they needed to take responsibility for what happened in Melbourne.

"How often do you get docked points in Test cricket these days? Rarely," he said.

"And we had that in our control, that's an attitudinal thing.

"At the time, we probably thought it's not that big a deal – the players get fined – but that cost us the World Test Championship (Final) after what had been two really good years for Australian cricket where we were ranked No.1 again.

"It's very disappointing, but the lesson is the things that we can control, we have to control. And we can't relax for a second in Test cricket."

The ICC requires fielding teams to bowl a minimum of 15 overs an hour, and the Australians were found to have bowled an average of 13 during the MCG Test. Teams are docked two points and fined 20 per cent of their match fee for every over they are found to be behind the rate, hence the Australians were penalised four points and fined 40 per cent.

Shortly after the penalty was handed down by match referee David Boon, vice-captain Cummins said that he wasn't aware during the Test that they were behind the rate.

"I hadn't heard anything about the over rates," he said.

"It seemed like every over there was a 12th man or a physio or someone running out drinks and slowing the game down. We've got to take control of overs."