{"id":3805,"date":"2021-10-08T08:34:29","date_gmt":"2021-10-08T08:34:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ukgamblingsites.com\/?page_id=3805"},"modified":"2021-10-08T08:34:29","modified_gmt":"2021-10-08T08:34:29","slug":"why-do-some-cricket-matches-last-so-long","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.ukgamblingsites.com\/sports-betting\/cricket\/why-do-some-cricket-matches-last-so-long\/","title":{"rendered":"Why do Some Cricket Matches Last so Long?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TestThe duration of a cricket match isn\u2019t as standard as many other sports.<\/p>\n

Football matches tend to last around 90 minutes (typically alongside an additional few minutes to compensate for any stoppages, usually injury-related plus delays caused by substitutions); Rugby matches tend to last up to 80 minutes; and basketball is said to have a playing time of 48 minutes (although frequent stoppages to the clock mean games tend to last around two hours on average).<\/p>\n

Cricket matches, however, can last much longer than the average sport.<\/p>\n

Some forms of the game are played for up to five days, whilst other forms are played within the space of a single day, or even just a few hours. But why exactly do some cricket matches last much longer than others?<\/p>\n

First-Class Cricket\/Test Matches<\/h2>\n

\"First<\/p>\n

Although most forms of cricket are regarded as long-lasting compared to other sports, the most drawn-out format of cricket comes in the form of both first-class matches, and Test matches. These are the original forms of the game and, to traditionalists at least, the pinnacle of the sport. Sometimes known as red-ball cricket, or long-form cricket – as opposed to white-ball or short-form cricket which we shall look at shortly – this form of the game dates back to the mid-19th century.<\/p>\n

First class matches are regarded as the highest standard matches in cricket and these are matches with three or more days of scheduled action between two sides adjudged to be worthy of \u2018first-class\u2019 status. An example of a first-class cricket competition in England comes in the form of the County Championship, with all matches lasting up to four days. Australia\u2019s first-class competition is the Sheffield Shield, where regular matches last up to four days whilst the final lasts for five days.<\/p>\n

Test matches are essentially a form of first-class cricket, however \u2018first-class cricket\u2019 typically tends to refer to domestic competition whilst Test matches tend to be referring to international matches.<\/p>\n

Played over a maximum of five days (moves in 2020 to reduce games to four days never amounted to anything), Tests are given their name in light of the long, gruelling matches typically played, which are often physically and mentally testing for those playing. In this format, two teams consisting of 11 players play a four-innings match, with each team batting twice. An innings either ends once all the batting team have been bowled out, the captain declares their team\u2019s innings closed, the team batting last reaches the required number of runs, or the five days are over.<\/p>\n

When it comes to Test cricket, teams tend to compete over a number of matches spread out over a month or so. This is called a Test series and the biggest nations typically play each other over a best-of-five series, though sometimes a series may be three games and occasionally it may even be two, four, or very occasionally six, with one-off Tests also a possibility.<\/p>\n

One of the most notable Test series is The Ashes, which is contested between England and Australia, whilst India v Pakistan is also a huge occasion. Other series include the Anthony De Mello Trophy contested between India and England (specifically in India, the Pataudi Trophy is awarded when the series is held in England), and the Richards-Botham Trophy contested between England and the West Indies. Additionally, 2019 saw the introduction of a new Test Match Championship, the ICC World Test Championship. This competition featured nine teams, with New Zealand becoming the competition\u2019s inaugural winners after narrowly defeating India in the final.<\/p>\n

In light of newer, shorter forms of cricket such as \u2018The Hundred\u2019 and T20 being introduced (of which more shortly), some suggest that first-class and Test match cricket are losing popularity. Despite this claim, a 2019 poll by Marylebone Cricket Club suggests that 86% of cricket fans actually support Test match\/first-class cricket: doing so more than any other format.<\/p>\n

First Class\/Test Match Session Times<\/h3>\n

\"CricketTo break up the day, both first-class games and Test matches tend to be divided into three segments; a morning session, an afternoon session and an evening session.<\/p>\n

Each session tends to last around two hours, with a 40-minute lunch break between the morning and afternoon sessions, alongside a 20-minute tea break between the afternoon and evening sessions.<\/p>\n

Below is a rough timing guide to indicate a typical day of Test match\/first-class cricket, although note that the final session invariably lasts longer in an attempt to get the scheduled number of overs (groups of six balls bowled) completed:<\/p>\n