How long does a cricket test match last?
A Test match is scheduled to last up to five days, with about six hours of play each day. Each team can bat twice, and many matches end early or finish in a draw.
Test cricket is the longest and most traditional form of the game. Each day usually includes three sessions of about two hours, with breaks for lunch and tea. A team bats until 10 of its batters are out, or until its captain declares. To win, a team must bowl out the opponent twice and score more total runs.
If the scheduled time runs out before a result, the match ends in a draw, even if one team is far ahead. Matches can also end early if one side dominates. Rain and bad light can stop play, which sometimes affects the result.
History of Test cricket
The first official Test match was played between England and Australia in Melbourne in March 1877. Early Tests were sometimes timeless, played until there was a result. The longest, in Durban, South Africa, in 1939, had nine days of play and still ended in a draw because England had to catch their ship home.
Did You Know?
Some Test matches are now played as day-night games using a pink ball, which is easier to see under floodlights.