Playing time (cricket)
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Games in the sport of
When the game is played
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The game is only played in dry weather. Additionally, as it is not unusual for balls to be bowled at over 130 km/h (80 mph) in
These requirements mean that in
In the
Starting and finishing play
A game or day starts when the
The game finishes when the first of three things happens:
- There is a result, so that one of the teams has won or the team batting last has lost all its wickets with both teams having the same score thereby giving a tie;
- The later of the minimum number of overs for the last hour are completed and the agreed time for the end of the game has been reached (see notes below);
- If the players leave the field, either for adverse conditions of ground, weather or light,[1] or in exceptional circumstances, and no further play is possible.
Notes:
- In one-day cricketthe second of these is replaced by the requirement that the agreed number of overs has been reached.
- The term last hour can be a misnomer. One hour before the scheduled end of the game, the last hour starts. An agreed minimum number of overs (usually 15 in Test match cricket and 20 in other first-class cricket games) is bowled. The last hour therefore lasts either for the longer of 60 minutes, or the time it takes to bowl the agreed minimum number of overs. This rule is there to prevent time wasting by a team that looks likely to lose a game.
- Today, Test matches are played under a set of conditions agreed by the boards of the competing countries. These are highly standardised. Days are scheduled as six hours of playing time, but there is a requirement that a minimum of 90 six-ball overs are bowled, and the third session may run overtime if the over rate has been slower than this. If there is a change of innings, two overs are deducted from the requirement.
- If there are interruptions to play due to weather or bad light, the scheduled stumps time may be extended by up to one hour to compensate (light permitting). If more than an hour's play is lost, time may be added on subsequent days.
Intervals
Because of the length of the game, there are a number of intervals that occur in a game of cricket. These are:
- The period between close of play on one day and the start of the next day's play.
- Intervals between innings.
- Intervals for meals (lunch/dinner and tea).
- Intervals for drinks.
There are special rules setting out the duration of each interval. The interval between innings lasts for 10 minutes. In Test cricket, lunch (or, in the case of day/night Test matches, dinner) will last for 40 minutes and tea for 20 minutes.
Before the
Drinks intervals are agreed at the start of each day, but are not taken during the last hour of the match. Drinks intervals are particularly important when the game is played in hot climates. Games being played in heat of 40 °C (104 °F) and above are not unknown. Drinks intervals may not last for more than 5 minutes.
Pace-of-play regulations
International cricket rules
In international
Notable games
A number of games are notable for either their length or because they were played through adverse conditions that would usually see the game called off.
The longest Test
See also
External links
- http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/344781.html Article on Cricinfo using light meters
Notes
- ^ The term "bad light" has been broadly used in cricket to refer to low visibility levels.
- ^ "ICC to make Stop Clock rule permanent in ODIs, T20Is". Cricbuzz. 14 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ^ "'Stop-clock' to become permanent in white-ball cricket". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 March 2024.