# Could someone explain test cricket to me? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 5, 2004, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-someone-explain-test-cricket-to-me/222797 "2004-01-05T13:47:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![green\_bladder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@green\_bladder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/green_bladder)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-someone-explain-test-cricket-to-me/222797/1 "2004-01-05T13:47:07Z")
I’ve watched my fair share of one-day, 50-over matches and they’re relatively easy to understand. But test matches are a whole different matter. I’m currently trying to follow India v Australia test down under but it’s making absolutely no sense to me. So could someone explain, in layman’s, how test matches work? Cheers. ---
**Author:** ![green\_bladder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@green\_bladder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/green_bladder)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-someone-explain-test-cricket-to-me/222797/2 "2004-01-05T13:50:33Z")
Apologies for the missing _the_ in the second paragraph. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-someone-explain-test-cricket-to-me/222797/3 "2004-01-05T15:57:13Z")
Simple answer: Side A bats, scores as many runs as possible until 10 batsmen are out (leaves one “not out” batsman with no-one to accompany him; there must always be two batsmen in at a time). This is termed “all out” even though there is one batsman who is not out. Side B does the same. Side A does the same again. Side B does the same, with the following possible results: - Their aggregate over the two innings falls _x_ short of Side A’s. Side A wins by _x_ runs. - Their aggregate exceeds Side A’s while Side B still has only _y_ batsmen out. Side B wins by (10-_y_) wickets. - Their aggregates exactly match when Side B’s last batsman is out. The match is tied. This result is extremely rare; I can think of only two instances in all Test cricket. - Side B is still behind, but with batsmen not out, when playing time is exhausted (normally five days). The match is drawn. Complex answer: When Side B bats for the first time, they fall 200+ runs short of Side A’s total. Side A may (does not have to) order Side B to take their second innings out of sequence (“enforce the follow on”), and still retain the right to their own second innings. If Side B still does not match Side A’s score and are all out before playing time is exhausted then Side A wins by “an innings and _x_ runs”. If Side B does catch up then, if there is time left when Side B is all out, Side A bats again. Rarely, a side is made to follow on and ends up winning. More complex still: A side is not obliged to carry on batting until it is “all out”. If you like your side’s score and want to get on with bowling the other side out to win the game, you can “declare”. Even though you have not-out batsmen, their right to their innings is forfeited. You need not, and do not, declare in the fourth innings (Side B’s second innings in the “simple answer”) as the game ends at once if you reach the winning target. A “Test Match”, despite the name, is a full international; also in Rugby. Any more questions? ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-someone-explain-test-cricket-to-me/222797/4 "2004-01-05T16:20:36Z")
In preview I see that **Malacandra** has given the basics, but I’ll add this anyhow: There are two key differences between limited-overs matches and other matches (such as Test matches): [ul][li]As the name implies, the duration of the batting innings in a limited overs match is limited to a fixed number of overs. There is no limit to the length of any innings of a Test match, beyond the fact that the whole match is limited to five days’ play. A batting innings only _has_ to end when ten batsmen are out.[/li] [li]Instead of each team batting once, in a Test match each team can bat twice building an aggregate total of runs.[/ul][/li]So in order to win the match, one team has to bowl the other out twice and exceed the other’s total of runs scored. In the current match, however, India have _declared_ both their innings\*, i.e. they have volunteered to stop batting before all their wickets have fallen because they believe they have scored enough runs to gain a big advantage and want to start taking Australian wickets. They have set Australia a target of 443 to win and for India to win they must bowl the Aussies out before the end of play tomorrow and before they reach that target. FWIW, [no side has scored more than 276 in the fourth innings to win a Test in Sydney](http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/aus_v_ind_2003-04/3368523.stm), so the Aussies are unlikely to win. Also, the first Australian innings lasted 117.5 overs, while there are only 90 overs left to be bowled on the last day, so the Indians may have left themselves a little short of time to complete the win. Timing the declaration of an innings is an art in itself, and the most likely result of this match is now a draw. \*That’s pretty unusual, by the way. Most matches don’t need any innings to be declared. ---
**Author:** ![Achilles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dc4da7/32.png) [@Achilles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achilles)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-someone-explain-test-cricket-to-me/222797/5 "2004-01-05T16:48:16Z")
What’s an “over” ? ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-someone-explain-test-cricket-to-me/222797/6 "2004-01-05T17:03:48Z")
An over is a sequence of six balls bowled by the same player. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-someone-explain-test-cricket-to-me/222797/7 "2004-01-05T18:29:04Z")
Don’t they also have 8 ball overs in Australian cricket ? ---
**Author:** ![kiwiboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/35a633/32.png) [@kiwiboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiwiboy)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-someone-explain-test-cricket-to-me/222797/8 "2004-01-05T21:07:46Z")
There haven’t been 8-ball overs for a long time as far as I know. **green bladder** and other interested parties can follow the last day of the Aussie-India test live at cricinfo from this [link](http://www.cricinfo.com/db/NEW/LIVE/frames/IND_AUS_T4_02-06JAN2004.html) . ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-someone-explain-test-cricket-to-me/222797/9 "2004-01-05T21:48:00Z")
[An interesting page](http://www.cricket.org/link_to_database/SOCIETIES/ENG/ACS/CRICKET_HISTORY/BALLS_PER_OVER_TESTS.html) detailing the history of the number of balls per over by country - from 4 to 5 to 6 to 8 and back to 6 in some cases!! Everyone settled on 6 in 1979/80 it seems. You live and learn… Grim ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-someone-explain-test-cricket-to-me/222797/10 "2004-01-05T23:47:29Z")
Here is a slightly tongue in cheek explanation of the rules of cricket: You have two sides, one out in the field and one in. Each man that’s in goes out, and when he’s out he comes in and the next man goes in until he is out. When they are all out, the side that’s been out comes in and the side that’s been in goes out and tries to get those coming in, out. Sometimes you get men still in and not out. “When a man goes out to go in, the men who are out try to get him out, and when he is out, he goes in and the next man in goes out and goes in. There are two men called umpires who are all out all the time, and they decide when the men who are in are out. When both sides have been in and all the men have been out, and both sides have been out twice after all the men have been in, including those who are not out, that is the end of the game.” V ---
**Author:** ![Dioptre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/278dde/32.png) [@Dioptre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dioptre)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-someone-explain-test-cricket-to-me/222797/11 "2004-01-06T02:14:33Z")
Another way of explaining things: A test match lasts for five days. In that five days, each team bats for two innings. To win: A) You must have scored more runs than your opponent AND B) The opponent must have finished both of their innings An innings can be finished in two ways: 1. By losing 10 wickets (outs) 2. By being “declared” by the team Captain WHY would you declare an innings? To give yourself more time to get the other team out. In the current match: India bats first, scores 705 in two and a bit days. They decide that this is enough, so they declare. Australia bats, and is all out for four hundred and something India bats again, scores another two hunred, and declares again. This gives Australia one day to make 440 and win, or for India to get 10 wickets and win. ---
**Author:** ![green\_bladder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@green\_bladder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/green_bladder)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-someone-explain-test-cricket-to-me/222797/12 "2004-01-06T02:31:25Z")
Thanks for the replies. Just one more question: This is currently the fourth test match between India and Australia, so usually how many matches are there in a series? ---
**Author:** ![Zaphod7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/df788c/32.png) [@Zaphod7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zaphod7)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-someone-explain-test-cricket-to-me/222797/13 "2004-01-06T02:39:22Z")
this is the final test. but the entire series was 8 games, 4 played in india, 4 in australia, India won the series in India so if the aussie series ends ina draw the indians will retain the something-border trophy. Aussie Aussie Aussie oi oi oi incedently i have never seen australia play worse in the field, dropped balls are not a usual site as thy have been the best team in the world for the past 8 years. THe problem is we are missing our key bowlers, Mcgrath and Warne. Zaphod ---
**Author:** ![Zaphod7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/df788c/32.png) [@Zaphod7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zaphod7)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-someone-explain-test-cricket-to-me/222797/14 "2004-01-06T02:41:54Z")
also there is an option if there is a chance of a result, the indians can opt to bowl and extra 15 overs. but the weather here is looking abit dodgy and we may get rain today. ---
**Author:** ![maleinblack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@maleinblack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maleinblack)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-someone-explain-test-cricket-to-me/222797/15 "2004-01-06T05:47:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zaphod7 \* > **if the aussie series ends ina draw the indians will retain the something-border trophy.** The “something” is actually Gavaskar.After Sunil Gavaskar of India.Of course Border refers to Allan Border. At the time of writing this the Aussies need 200 odd runs from 19 overs,the match seems to be heading for a draw. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-someone-explain-test-cricket-to-me/222797/16 "2004-01-06T06:20:07Z")
[This Indian site](http://scores.sify.com/) is generally faster than the cricinfo sites for live scores. Both of **Zaphod7** ’s posts are wrong. This Test is the last of this 4 Test series which has nothing to do withthe series played in India. There is no option to extend play although the option exists to end early if both captains feel like it (no reult possible). I don’t think a draw is certain yet. Steve Waugh won’t let Australia settle for a draw with 6 wickets in hand. They’ll lose or they’ll get the runs. ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-someone-explain-test-cricket-to-me/222797/17 "2004-01-06T06:28:46Z")
Perhaps Zaphod was thinking of the provision that 20 overs must be bowled in the last hour of play on the final day. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-someone-explain-test-cricket-to-me/222797/18 "2004-01-06T08:56:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cugel \* > \*\*Perhaps Zaphod was thinking of the provision that 20 overs must be bowled in the last hour of play on the final day. \*\* Actually for some reason that rule wasn’t in use either this time (I have no idea why not). Australia received 94 overs 4 for yesterday and 90 for today like any other day. **Zaphod7** may have been confused by the rule that play could not extend beyond 7PM whether there were overs to go or not. Again I have no idea why they introduced this rule. ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-someone-explain-test-cricket-to-me/222797/19 "2004-01-06T12:14:29Z")
Yes, it seems as if it’s now 15 overs in the last hour. Though the Laws at [lords.org](http://lords.org) still say 20. ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2004, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-someone-explain-test-cricket-to-me/222797/20 "2004-01-06T13:28:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by green\_bladder \* > Thanks for the replies. Just one more question: This is currently the fourth test match between India and Australia, so usually how many matches are there in a series? For many years, the standard length of Test series in England was five matches and that’s still common here. But recently the organisers have varied the format to fit two shorter series in a single summer, and to create “triangular tournaments” in which three teams play sequences of one day matches against each other. In 1980 there were only six touring teams, whereas now there are nine, so having shorter series allows more teams to play each other without excessive time gaps. Current Test series include: Australia v India – four Tests, as you’ve noted, plus a one day series involving Zimbabwe South Africa v West Indies – four Tests and five one-dayers New Zealand v Pakistan – two Tests and five one-dayers Australia v Zimbabwe – two Tests South Africa played five Tests in England in 2003, Zimbabwe played two, and there was a one day tournament between the three countries. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-someone-explain-test-cricket-to-me/222797.md?page=2)