| First
class cricket matches are the most prestigious games, played
at a professional level. The top level games are international
Test matches, played betwen countries. There are also domestic
first class cricket competitions. First class matches are
of limited duration. Test matches will be described first,
then any differences for other first class matches will be
described.
Test matches are played over five days, with
six hours play each day. Each day's play is divided into three
sessions of two hours each, with a 40 minute break between
the first two session for lunch, and a 20 minute tea break
between the last two sessions. A short drinks break is taken
once an hour, or more often in very hot weather. Play usually
goes from 11:00 local time to 18:00, although this may be
varied if sunset occurs early. The scheduled close of play
time is called stumps. Test matches are never played under
artificial lighting.
Each team has two innings, usually played
in alternating order. Each innings is over when either ten
batsmen are out, or the captain of the batting side declares
the innings closed. When all the innings are completed, the
team with the most runs wins. If there is a tie, the result
stands (this is rare - it has only ever happened twice).
If by the end of the final day's play all
the innings are not completed, the game is a draw, no matter
who appeared to be ``winning''. Thus the strategic importance
of sometimes declaring an innings closed, in order to have
enough time to dismiss the other team and so win the game.
The order of the innings alternates except
when the follow-on is enforced. This can occur if the second
team to bat in the first innings scores 200 or more runs fewer
than the first team. The captain of the first team may then
ask the second team to follow on, i.e. to bat its second innings
immediately, and defer his own team's second innings until
afterwards.
Whenever a change of innings occurs during
a session, a ten minute break is taken. If the end of an innings
occurs within ten minutes of the end of the first or second
sessions, the ten minute break is lost and the scheduled interval
is shifted to begin immediately. If the end of an innings
occurs within ten minutes of stumps, the day's play ends early.
Test matches are played with a red cricket ball. A new ball
is used for the beginning of each innings. The same ball must
be used throughout the innings, being replaced only in the
following cases:
1. The captain of the bowling team may elect
to take a new ball at any time after 80 overs have been bowled
with the previous ball.
2. If the ball is lost, it is replaced.
3. If the ball is damaged, either by the stitching coming
undone or the ball becoming clearly non-spherical, it is replaced.
In cases 2 and 3, the ball must be replaced
by a previously used ball of similarly worn condition to the
old ball, as chosen by the umpires. If the ball is ever hit
so that a spectator gathers it, the spectator must return
it so that play can continue.
If there is heavy cloud cover, the umpires
may decide that the ambient light level is too low and that
the batsmen may be in danger because of difficulty in sighting
the ball. If so, they offer the light to the batsmen, who
may agree to leave the field or may decide to play on. If
the light deteriorates further, the umpires will offer again.
If the batsmen decide to leave the field
and the light improves, the umpires make the decision to resume
play.
If a fielder leave the field for any reason
and then returns during the same innings, he may not bowl
until he has been on the field again for as much time as he
spent off the field.
Test matches are played in Series between
two of the official Test nations. A Test Series consists of
a set number of matches, from one to six, all of which are
played to completion, even if one team gains an unassailable
lead in the Series. Series of three or five matches are most
common. Some pairs of nations compete against one another
for a perpetual trophy. If a Series between two such nations
is drawn, the holder of the trophy retains it.
A
Few Words on Cricket | Test
cricket | Equipment
| The
Play | Ways
of Getting Out |
First
Class Cricket | One-Day
Cricket
|
