View source for Test cricket

{{Short description|Longest and original form of cricket}}
{{About|the format for men's international cricket|the women's format|Women's Test cricket}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox sport
| name           = Men's Test cricket
| country/region = Worldwide
| first          = 15 March 1877
| union          = [[International Cricket Council]]
| type           = Outdoor, [[Bat-and-ball_games | bat and ball]]
| image          = England vs South Africa.jpg
| caption        = A Test match between South Africa and England in January 2005. The two men wearing black trousers are the umpires. Test cricket is played in traditional white clothes and usually with a red ball – a pink ball in day/night Tests
| team           = 11
| mgender        = No
| equipment      = {{plainlist|
*[[Cricket bat | Bat]],
*[[Cricket ball | Ball]],
*[[Stump_(cricket) | Stumps]],
*[[Cricket helmet | Helmet]],
*[[Pads]],
*[[Cricket_clothing_and_equipment | Other guards (thigh, abdominal, etc)]],
*[[Batting glove | Gloves]],
*[[Wicket-keeper's gloves]]
}}
| venue          = [[Cricket field]]
|contact=No|image_size=300px}}
{{Cricket sidebar |expanded=all}}
'''Test cricket''' is a [[Forms of cricket|format]] of the sport of [[cricket]], considered the game's most prestigious and traditional form. Often referred to as the "ultimate test" of a cricketer's skill, endurance and temperament, it is a [[First-class cricket|first-class]] format of international cricket where two teams in [[Cricket whites|whites]], each representing their country, compete over a match that can last up to five days. It consists of up to four [[innings]] (up to two per team), with a minimum of ninety [[Over (cricket)|overs]] scheduled to be bowled in six hours per day, making it the sport with the longest playing time except for some multi-stage cycling races. A team wins the match by outscoring the opposition with the [[Batting (cricket)|bat]] and bowling them out with the [[Bowling (cricket)|ball]]. Otherwise the match ends in a [[Result (cricket)|draw]].

It is contested by 12 teams which are the [[List of International Cricket Council members|full-members]] of the [[International Cricket Council]] (ICC). The term "test match" was originally coined in 1861–62 but in a different context—that the English team was testing itself against all of the Australian colonies.<ref name="Cricket1970">{{cite book |last=Bowen |first=Rowland |author-link=Rowland Bowen |title=Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development |publisher=Eyre & Spottiswoode |year=1970 |isbn=978-04-13278-60-9 |location=London |page=99}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Dying? Like hell it is - Long live Test cricket |url=https://archive.sen.com.au/news/2023/02/28/dying-like-hell-it-is-long-live-test-cricket |access-date=2025-08-02 |website=archive.sen.com.au |language=en }}{{Dead link|date=October 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> Test cricket did not become an officially recognised format until the 1890s, but many international matches since 1877 have been retrospectively awarded Test status. The first such match took place at the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]] (MCG) in March 1877 between teams which were then known as a Combined Australian XI and [[James Lillywhite]]'s XI, the latter a team of visiting English professionals. Matches between [[Australia national cricket team|Australia]] and [[England cricket team|England]] were first called "test matches" in 1892. The first definitive list of retrospective Tests was written by South Australian journalist [[Clarence P. Moody]] two years later and, by the end of the century, had gained acceptance.

Traditionally, Test matches had always been played with a red ball during daylight hours. However, amid growing concern over dwindling viewership in the late 2000s,<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Silgardo |first=Dustin |date=20 November 2019 |title=A brief history of pink-ball cricket |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/a-brief-history-of-pink-ball-cricket-1207107 |access-date=21 October 2025 |website=ESPNCricinfo}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-06-30 |title=Day-night Tests one step closer |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/day-night-tests-one-step-closer/040b7g4r9 |access-date=2025-10-20 |website=SBS News |language=en}}</ref> numerous trials were held in the early 2010s which culminated in [[Day/night cricket|day/night Tests]] being permitted by the ICC in 2012, and the first day/night match was between [[New Zealand cricket team in Australia in 2015–16|Australia and New Zealand]] at the [[Adelaide Oval]] in November 2015. These matches start later in the day and continue into the evening, necessitating the use of a pink ball to aid in visibility.<ref name=":7" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Red, White & Pink Cricket Balls: What is the Difference? |url=https://westernsportscentre.com.au/pages/red-white-pink-cricket-balls-what-is-the-difference |access-date=2025-10-20 |website=Western Sports Centre |language=en}}</ref>

The [[World Test Championship|ICC World Test Championship]] is the [[World cup competition|international championship]] of Test cricket. It is a league competition run by the ICC, with its inaugural season starting in [[2019–21 ICC Test Championship|2019]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Schedule for inaugural World Test Championship announced |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/742337 |publisher=International Cricket Council |access-date=2 March 2024 |archive-date=4 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181204204916/https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/742337 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=Ramsey, Andrew |date=20 June 2018 |title=Aussies to host Afghans as part of new schedule |url=https://www.cricket.com.au/news/icc-future-tour-program-schedule-fixture-international-cricket-ftp-australia-afghanistan-india/2018-06-20 |website=[[cricket.com.au]] |access-date=2 March 2024 |archive-date=20 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180620180802/https://www.cricket.com.au/news/icc-future-tour-program-schedule-fixture-international-cricket-ftp-australia-afghanistan-india/2018-06-20 |url-status=live }}</ref> In line with the ICC's goal of having one pinnacle tournament for each of the three formats of international cricket, it is the premier championship for Test cricket.<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 June 2013 |title=Test Championship to replace Champions Trophy |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci-icc/content/story/646147.html |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=2 March 2024 |archive-date=20 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180620182116/http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci-icc/content/story/646147.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Early history==
{{main|History of cricket|History of Test cricket from 1877 to 1883|History of Test cricket from 1884 to 1889|History of Test cricket from 1890 to 1900}}

===Growth of international cricket===
Teams designated as "England" or "All England" began to play in the 18th century, but these teams were not truly representative. Early [[international cricket]] was disrupted by the [[French Revolution]] and the [[American Civil War]]. The earliest international cricket match was between [[Canadian cricket team in the United States in 1844|the United States and Canada]], on 24 and 26 September 1844 (bad weather prevented play on the 25th).<ref>[http://www.espncricinfo.com/usa/engine/match/318995.html United States of America v Canada 1844] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629061551/http://www.espncricinfo.com/usa/engine/match/318995.html |date=29 June 2011 }}. ESPNcricinfo.</ref> Overseas tours by national English teams began in 1859 with visits to North America, Australia and New Zealand. The [[Australian Aboriginal cricket team in England in 1868|1868 Australian Aboriginals]] were the first organised overseas team to tour England.

[[File:Ashes Urn 1921.jpg|left|thumb|The earliest published photo of [[the Ashes urn]], from ''[[The Illustrated London News]]'', 1921]]
Two rival English tours of Australia were proposed in the early months of 1877, with [[James Lillywhite]] campaigning for a professional tour and [[Fred Grace]] for an amateur one. Grace's tour fell through and it was Lillywhite's team that toured New Zealand and Australia in 1876–77. Two matches against a combined Australian XI were later classified as the first official Test matches. The first match was won by Australia, by 45 runs and the second by England. After reciprocal tours established a pattern of international cricket, [[The Ashes]] was established as a competition during the Australian tour of England in 1882. A surprise victory for Australia inspired a mock obituary of English cricket to be published in the ''Sporting Times'' the following day: the phrase "The body shall be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia" prompted the subsequent creation of the Ashes urn.

The series of 1884–85 was the first to be held over five matches: England player [[Alfred Shaw]], writing in 1901, considered the side to be "the best ever to have left England". South Africa became the third team to play Test cricket in 1888–89, when they hosted a tour by an under-strength England side. Australia, England and South Africa were the only countries playing Test cricket before [[World War I]].

===Terminology===
The term "test match" was coined during the [[English cricket team in Australia in 1861–62|English tour of Australia in 1861–62]] but in a different context. It meant that the English team was testing itself against each of the Australian colonies.<ref name="Cricket1970" /> Following Lillywhite's tour, Australian teams reciprocated, beginning with [[Australian cricket team in England and North America in 1878|Dave Gregory's team in 1878]]. By the beginning of 1892, eight English teams had visited Australia and seven Australian teams had visited England. In its issue of 25 February 1892, ''[[Cricket: A Weekly Record of the Game]]'' revived the term "test match" and freely applied it to the [[English cricket team in Australia in 1891–92|three international matches]] which had just been played in Australia by [[Henry Holroyd, 3rd Earl of Sheffield|Lord Sheffield's XI]], starting with the match at the MCG which was billed as Lord Sheffield's Team v Combined Australia. The report began: "There was no little appropriateness in fixing the first of the three great test matches for January 1".<ref name="C29127">[https://archive.acscricket.com/cricket/1892/33/ "Tenth Match – Lord Sheffield's Team v Combined Australia"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220908221801/https://archive.acscricket.com/cricket/1892/33/ |date=8 September 2022 }} ''Cricket'', issue 291, 25 February 1892, p. 27.</ref>

===Clarence P. Moody===
The first list of matches considered to be "Tests" was conceived and published by South Australian journalist [[Clarence P. Moody]] in his 1894 book, ''Australian Cricket and Cricketers, 1856 to 1893–94''. Moody's proposal was well received by [[Charles W. Alcock]], editor of ''Cricket'' in England and his list of 39 matches was reproduced in the 28 December 1894 issue as part of an article entitled "The First Test Match". The list begins with the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground|MCG]] match played 15–17 March 1877 and ends with the recent match at the [[Sydney Cricket Ground|Association Ground, Sydney]] played 14–20 December 1894.<ref name="C379463">[https://archive.acscricket.com/cricket/1894/487/ "The First Test Match"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220908225143/https://archive.acscricket.com/cricket/1894/487/ |date=8 September 2022 }} ''Cricket'', issue 379, 28 December 1894, pp. 463–464.</ref> All 39 were retrospectively recognised as Test matches, as was the unlisted 1890 [[Old Trafford Cricket Ground|Old Trafford]] match that was abandoned without a ball being bowled. No South African matches were included in Moody's list but three against England were also given retrospective Test status.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Records/England/Test/Team/List_of_Matches.html |title=List of Test Matches |work=CricketArchive |access-date=9 September 2022 |url-access=subscription |archive-date=9 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220909044131/https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Records/England/Test/Team/List_of_Matches.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Moody became a newspaper editor and founded the Adelaide ''[[Sunday Mail (Adelaide)|Sunday Mail]]'' in 1912.<ref>[https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/game-on-a-rich-sporting-history/news-story/07eca80e5030e130571aad9044d9362d "Game on: a rich sporting history"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220908230423/https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/game-on-a-rich-sporting-history/news-story/07eca80e5030e130571aad9044d9362d |date=8 September 2022 }}. Hilferty, Tim: ''The Advertiser''. 5 May 2012.</ref>

== Twentieth century ==

=== Further growth and creation of the Imperial Cricket Conference (ICC) ===
Growth of Tests continued, with 48 being played from 1901 to 1910.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Test Cricket – List of Matches for 1901 to 1910 |url=https://howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Matches/MatchList.asp?Group=1900010119101231&Range=1900%20to%201910 |access-date=10 August 2025 |website=www.howstat.com}}</ref> The [[Imperial Cricket Conference]] (ICC) was founded on 15 July 1909, with England, Australia and South Africa as the founding members. The ICC included the [[Marylebone Cricket Club]] (MCC), the [[Cricket Australia|Australian Board of Control for International Cricket]], and the [[Cricket South Africa|South African Cricket Association]] as its original associations.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Gupta |first=Amit |title=The Oxford handbook of sports history |date=2017 |others={{ill|Robert Edelman|de}}, Wayne Wilson |isbn=978-0-19-985891-0 |location=New York, NY |pages=214–215 |chapter=14-Cricket: The Indianization of an Imperial Game |oclc=959032235}}</ref> The ICC would oversee and regulate cricket between these three countries.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Iyer |first=Usha |date=September 2013 |title=Decolonisation and the Imperial Cricket Conference, 1947–1965: A Study in Transnational Commonwealth History? |url=https://clok.uclan.ac.uk/id/eprint/9659/1/Iyer%20Usha%20Final%20e-Thesis%20%28Master%20Copy%29.pdf |access-date=9 August 2025}}</ref> The President and Secretary of the MCC subsequently became the President and Secretary of the ICC. [[Lord's]], the home of the MCC, hence became the headquarters of the ICC. At their 1909 meeting, the ICC instigated a [[1912 Triangular Tournament|triangular tournament to be held between the three countries in 1912]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The original damp squib |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/rewind-the-1912-triangular-tournament-in-england-465748 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240225231623/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/rewind-the-1912-triangular-tournament-in-england-465748 |archive-date=25 February 2024 |access-date=2025-08-09 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en |url-status=live }}</ref> The nine-match tournament was marred by rain, and combined with the three-day match length for Tests in England at the time meant six of the matches resulted in draws. The tournament was so unsuccessful that the idea was never attempted again. The Daily Telegraph noted: "Nine Tests provide a surfeit of cricket, and contests between Australia and South Africa are not a great attraction to the British public."

There were only 24 Tests between 1911 and 1920,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Test Cricket – List of Matches for 1910 to 1920 |url=https://howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Matches/MatchList.asp?Group=1911010119201231&v=D&Range=1911%20to%201920 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250320055853/https://howstat.com/Cricket/Statistics/Matches/MatchList.asp?Group=1911010119201231&v=M&Range=1911%20to%201920 |archive-date=20 March 2025 |access-date=9 August 2025 |website=www.howstat.com |language=en}}</ref> including the nine as part of the 1912 Triangular Tournament, owing to the disruption caused by [[World War I]]. When Test cricket resumed after the war, England was the first to tour Australia as part of the [[English cricket team in Australia in 1920–21|1920–21 Ashes Series]], who were [[Whitewash (sport)|whitewashed]] by Australia for the first time in a Test series.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Ebor |first=Old |date=2019-01-14 |title="They have whacked us, well": JWHT Douglas and the Ashes whitewash |url=https://oldebor.wordpress.com/2019/01/14/they-have-whacked-us-well/ |access-date=2025-08-09 |website=Old Ebor |language=en |archive-date=13 September 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250913211507/https://oldebor.wordpress.com/2019/01/14/they-have-whacked-us-well/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":3">Burton S (2021) [https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/mar/02/the-1920-21-ashes-typhus-quarantine-and-unseemly-barracking The 1920–21 Ashes: typhus quarantine and unseemly barracking], ''[[The Guardian]]'', 2021-03-02. Retrieved 2021-03-02.</ref> England were required to quarantine before the series due to an outbreak of typhus on their ship, and also had injuries to key players, which disrupted their preparation.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> After the conclusion of the series, England's captain [[Johnny Douglas]] congratulated the Australians "who have whacked us, well."<ref name=":2" />

The ICC held a second meeting in 1921 which focused on the use of eight-ball overs.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=icc |title=1909–1963 – Imperial Cricket Conference {{!}} About ICC Cricket |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/about/the-icc/history-of-icc/1909-1963 |access-date=2025-08-09 |website=icc |language=en |archive-date=22 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240222135726/https://www.icc-cricket.com/about/the-icc/history-of-icc/1909-1963 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Admission of India, New Zealand and West Indies ===
India, New Zealand and West Indies were invited to attend the ICC's third meeting on 31 May 1926, and subsequently became full members on the same day.<ref name=":4" /> At the meeting, it was agreed that the membership of the ICC should comprise "governing bodies of cricket in countries within the Empire to which cricket teams are sent, or which send teams to England." This definition regrettably excluded the United States, which had regularly received teams from England since 1859 and had also sent several teams to play in England.<ref name=":5" /> The meeting also discussed the "farcical" limit of three days for Tests, and it was unanimously agreed to establish an allotment of "more than three days for tests [sic] in England, which should be played out if possible." The MCC representatives confirmed that the English counties would be consulted in regard to the Australian proposal that at least four days should be permitted for Test matches.<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 June 1926 |title=CRICKET CONFERENCE |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16297499 |access-date=10 August 2025 |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |location=New South Wales, Australia |page=15 |via=National Library of Australia |issue=27,590}}</ref> The meeting further discussed the use of eight-ball overs, and heard that all the State Cricket Associations in Australia had been consulted by the Australian Board of Control, with a unanimous decision that the eight-ball over was in the best interests of the game.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1 June 1926 |title=CRICKET CONFERENCE |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article163384090 |access-date=10 August 2025 |work=[[The Newcastle Sun]] |location=New South Wales, Australia |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia |issue=2649}}</ref>

From this point onward, the ICC met "on an almost annual basis" except during war years, to set out future Test tours, checking that players were properly qualified, and encouraging the use of turf instead of matting pitches. Possible law changes were also discussed.<ref name=":5" />

West Indies toured England for their Test debut on 23 June 1928 against England at Lord's as part of a [[West Indian cricket team in England in 1928|three-Test series]]. England won each match batting only once, with the West Indies being largely outplayed. However they had shown their huge potential in a series of reciprocal tours in the previous decade.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Williamson |first=Martin |date=1 Feb 2014 |title=Playing two Tests in a day |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/rewind-to-1930-when-england-played-two-tests-in-a-day-714423 |access-date=11 August 2025 |website=ESPNCricinfo |archive-date=18 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250818043214/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/rewind-to-1930-when-england-played-two-tests-in-a-day-714423 |url-status=live }}</ref> 

New Zealand made their Test debut on 10 January 1930 at [[Lancaster Park]] as England toured New Zealand for a [[English cricket team in New Zealand in 1929–30|three-Test series]]. Due a quirk of scheduling the series between previously agreed tours (Australia in 1928[[English cricket team in Australia in 1920–21|–]]29 & 1932[[English cricket team in Australia in 1920–21|–]]33 and South Africa in 1930[[English cricket team in Australia in 1920–21|–]]31), England was also playing a four-Test series against the [[English cricket team in the West Indies in 1929–30|West Indies at the same time]].<ref name=":6" /> Due to the third Test of the England-New Zealand series being affected by rain, a fourth was arranged to start on 21 February, 1930 at [[Eden Park]]. The third Test of the England-West Indies series also began on the same day at [[Bourda]]. It was the only time one country has played in two Test matches on the same day.<ref>{{cite web |title=Quick, quick Snow |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/149452.html |access-date=14 January 2020 |work=ESPN Cricinfo |archive-date=3 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200203061506/http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/149452.html |url-status=live }}</ref> England won the New Zealand series 1–0, with three draws.  

The fourth Test of the England-West Indies series was [[Timeless Test|timeless]]. England made 849 from 259 overs in the first innings, with [[Andy Sandham]] scoring 325, then the world record score; it was also the first Test triple century.<ref name=":6" /> England bowled the West Indies out for 286 from 111.5 overs, establishing a first-innings lead of 563. England's captain, [[Freddie Calthorpe|Calthorpe]], was criticised for not enforcing the follow-on, but the age of his side was likely a major factor.<ref name=":6" /> England thus batted again, notching 272 from 79.1 overs before declaring 9 wickets down.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Scorecard – 1929–1930 West Indies v England – 03/04/1930 |url=http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Matches/MatchScorecard.asp?MatchCode=0193 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422071433/http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Matches/MatchScorecard.asp?MatchCode=0193 |archive-date=22 April 2023 |access-date=2025-08-11 |website=howstat.com |language=en |url-status=live }}</ref> With time seemingly unlimited, the West Indies were set 836 to win. At the close of play on the seventh day, they had scored 408 runs for the loss of five wickets, but two days of rain followed. As was the case with the infamous [[English cricket team in South Africa in 1938–39|Durban match in 1939]], England's ship was departing and the game had to finish a draw.<ref name=":6" /> 

India [[Indian cricket team in England in 1932|toured England for their debut in Tests]] on 25 June 1932. England won the only Test by 158 runs. 
=== Changes to the size of the wicket ===
[[File:Reggie Schwarz c1905.jpg|thumb|278x278px|Reggie Schwarz in c. 1905 showing the smaller wicket]]In 1931, provisions were added to Law 6 in the [[Laws of Cricket]] to alter the size of the wicket (stumps and bails).<ref>{{Cite web |title=A brief history of cricket |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/a-brief-history-of-cricket-239757 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250708080316/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/a-brief-history-of-cricket-239757 |archive-date=8 July 2025 |access-date=2025-08-10 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en |url-status=live }}</ref> The text was changed from the 1927 version which was as follows:<ref>{{Cite web |title=The ACS – The ACS |url=https://acscricket.com/ |access-date=2025-08-10 |language=en-GB |archive-date=23 September 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250923220633/https://acscricket.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{Blockquote|text=Each wicket shall be eight inches in width and consist of three stumps, with two bails upon the top. The stumps shall be of equal and sufficient size to prevent the ball from passing through, twenty-seven inches out of the ground.}}

In the 1931 revision, the relevant text was as follows:<ref>{{Cite web |title=The ACS – The ACS |url=https://acscricket.com/ |access-date=2025-08-10 |language=en-GB |archive-date=23 September 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250923220633/https://acscricket.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{Blockquote|text=Each wicket shall be not less than eight inches and no more than nine inches in width and consist of three stumps, with two bails upon the top. The stumps shall be of equal and sufficient size to prevent the ball from passing through, not less than twenty-seven inches nor more than twenty-eight inches out of the ground.}}

Later, Law 6, which became Law 8, was standardised in the 1947 revision to the larger size as follows:<ref>{{Cite web |title=The ACS – The ACS |url=https://acscricket.com/ |access-date=2025-08-10 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

{{Blockquote|text=Each Wicket shall be 9 inches in width and consist of three stumps with two bails upon the top. The stumps shall be of equal and of sufficient size to prevent the ball from passing through, with their top 28 inches above the ground.|source=}}

=== The genesis and outlawing of bodyline ===
{{Main|Bodyline}}

==== 1930 Ashes series ====

After [[Don Bradman|Bradman]] scored 974 runs at an average of 139.14 (with four centuries – 131, 254, 334 and 232) in the [[Australian cricket team in England in 1930|1930 Ashes series]] in England, the most runs ever scored in a series—a record that still stands to this day,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Test matches {{!}} Batting records {{!}} Most runs in a series {{!}} ESPNcricinfo |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/most-runs-in-a-series-282849 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250120191729/https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/most-runs-in-a-series-282849 |archive-date=20 January 2025 |access-date=2025-08-11 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en |url-status=live }}</ref> the English sought to curtail his impact. In the timeless 5th Test where he made 232, a number of English players and commentators had noted Bradman's discomfort in playing the [[Bouncer (cricket)|short, rising delivery]].<ref name="Sportsfactor">{{cite web |date=2 March 2001 |title=The Sports Factor (transcript) |url=http://www.abc.net.au/rn/sportsfactor/stories/2001/253062.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080205083438/http://www.abc.net.au/rn/sportsfactor/stories/2001/253062.htm |archive-date=5 February 2008 |access-date=23 August 2008 |work=ABC Radio}}</ref> The observation was made too late to have an impact on the match, which Australia won by an innings and 39 runs, which also meant Australia won the series 2–1.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ENG vs AUS Cricket Scorecard, 5th Test at London, August 16–22, 1930 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/australia-tour-of-england-1930-61334/england-vs-australia-5th-test-62584/full-scorecard |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250615051325/https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/australia-tour-of-england-1930-61334/england-vs-australia-5th-test-62584/full-scorecard |archive-date=15 June 2025 |access-date=2025-08-11 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en |url-status=live }}</ref> Wisden made of a period of play:<ref>{{cite web |year=1931 |title=Fifth Test Match: England v Australia 1930 |url=http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/151746.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120708060750/http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/151746.html |archive-date=8 July 2012 |access-date=23 May 2008 |work=Wisden}}</ref>{{blockquote|On the Wednesday morning the ball flew about a good deal, both batsmen frequently being hit on the body&nbsp;... on more than one occasion each player cocked the ball up dangerously but always, as it happened, just wide of the fieldsmen.}}The revelation provided England with a possible tactic for the next Ashes series in [[English cricket team in Australia in 1932–33|Australia in 1932–33]]. England's new captain, [[Douglas Jardine]], along with his bowlers, devised and practised a plan in the [[1932 English cricket season|1932 season]] called "fast leg theory" which later became known as [[bodyline]]. It involved bowling at leg stump or just outside, and pitching the ball short, so that once bounced it reared up threateningly at the body of a batsman standing in an orthodox batting position. Fielders positioned on the leg side would catch any defensive deflection off the bat.<ref name="D103">Douglas, p. 103.</ref><ref name="BBC">{{cite web |last1=Watson |first1=Greig |date=16 January 2013 |title=Bodyline: 80 years of cricket's greatest controversy |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-21013615 |access-date=21 October 2017 |publisher=BBC |archive-date=19 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019231812/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-21013615 |url-status=live }}</ref> The batsman's options were limited as [[Batting (cricket)#Pull and hook|pull or hook shots]] could be caught on the boundary and defensive shots brought few runs and could carry far enough to the keeper or leg-side fielders. Other options included evading the ball through ducking or moving aside, or allowing the ball to strike the body.<ref name="pi130">Piesse, p. 130.</ref><ref name="h70">Haigh and Frith, p. 70.</ref><ref name="c171">Colman, p. 171.</ref>

==== 1932–33 Ashes series ====
[[File:Bodyline_Cricket_Series_1932_SLNSW_FL1660012.jpg|thumb|Jardine leads the English Team onto the Sydney Cricket Ground, 2 Dec 1932]]England employed the tactic in the 1932–33 series, with the tactic causing huge controversy due to its unsportsmanlike nature and restriction of scoring options. In the third Test at Adelaide, a spell of bowling from [[Harold Larwood]] saw [[Bill Woodfull]] struck over the heart. He dropped his bat, and staggered away holding his chest, bent over in pain. Jardine called to Larwood: "Well bowled, Harold!". Although the comment was aimed at unsettling Bradman, who was also batting at the time, Woodfull was appalled.<ref>Hamilton, p. 156.</ref><ref>Frith, p. 179.</ref> Play later resumed when Woodfull was fit to continue, and Allen bowled the next over. Play was again stopped for Larwood's next over when the players were moved into bodyline positions, as the crowd protested and called abuse at the England team. Many commentators condemned the field change as unsporting, and the furious spectators became extremely volatile.<ref name="F181">Frith, p. 181.</ref>

Following the fourth day's play at Adelaide, the Australian Board of Control sent a telegraph to the MCC, cricket's ruling body and the club that selected the England team. The Australian Board had claimed bodyline was unsportsmanlike and that the bowling was menacing the best interests of the game. Meanwhile, the match continued and saw England bowled out for 412 on day five, setting Australia a target of 532 to win. Australia only had significant contributions from Woodfull, 73 from 208 balls, Bradman, 66 from 71 balls, and [[Vic Richardson]], 21 from 76 balls, as they were bowled out for 193 inside 70 overs on the sixth day. England were 2–1 up in the series.

The MCC replied to the first telegraph the following week, deeply resenting the accusation of unsportsmanlike bowling. Additionally, members of the MCC believed that the Australians had over-reacted to the English bowling.<ref name="BBC2">{{cite web |last1=Watson |first1=Greig |date=16 January 2013 |title=Bodyline: 80 years of cricket's greatest controversy |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-21013615 |access-date=21 October 2017 |publisher=BBC |archive-date=19 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019231812/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-21013615 |url-status=live }}</ref> At this point, the remainder of the series was under threat.<ref name="p259">Pollard, p. 259.</ref><ref>Frith, p. 227.</ref> [[File:4th Test Woodfull.jpg|thumb|[[Bill Woodfull]] evades a bodyline ball]]The Australian Board then sent another cable on 30 January, indicating that they wished the series to continue and offering to postpone consideration of the fairness of bodyline bowling until after the series. The MCC replied on 2 February, suggesting that continuing the series would be impossible unless the accusation of unsporting behaviour was withdrawn.<ref>Frith, pp. 226–28.</ref> The affair rose to the political level, and it was believed that it could have a significant trade impact between the two nations. The standoff was settled when [[Prime Minister of Australia|the Australian prime minister]], [[Joseph Lyons]], met with members of the Australian Board and outlined to them the severe economic hardships that could be caused in Australia if the British public boycotted Australian trade. Following considerable discussion and debate in the English and Australian press, the Australian Board sent a cable to the MCC which, while maintaining its opposition to bodyline bowling, stated "We do not regard the sportsmanship of your team as being in question".<ref name="p2601">Pollard, pp. 260–261.</ref><ref>Frith, pp. 255–259.</ref> Correspondence between the Australian Board and the MCC continued for almost a year.<ref>Douglas, pp. 145–47.</ref>
In the final two Tests, England continued employing bodyline tactics but to a lesser extent than the first three.<ref>Frith, pp. 274, 277, 293.</ref> England won the remaining two matches of the series and thus won the series 4–1. Regarding Bradman, he had his leanest run tally in a series with 396 at an average of 56.57, with just one century and three half centuries.<ref>{{Cite web |title=HowSTAT! Player Analysis by Series |url=http://howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Players/PlayerSeries.asp?PlayerID=0225 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090916030049/http://howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Players/PlayerSeries.asp?PlayerID=0225 |archive-date=16 September 2009 |access-date=2025-08-15 |website=www.howstat.com |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Continued use ====
Bodyline continued to be bowled occasionally in the 1933 English season, most notably by [[Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club|Nottinghamshire]], who had [[Arthur Carr (cricketer)|Carr]], [[Bill Voce|Voce]] and [[Harold Larwood|Larwood]] in their team.<ref name="p141">Perry, p. 141.</ref> 

When the West Indies toured England in 1933, their captain [[Jackie Grant]] decided to use bodyline against the English for the first time. The match was drawn, but played a significant part in turning English opinion against bodyline. ''The Times'' used the word bodyline, without using inverted commas or using the qualification ''so-called'', for the first time.<ref name="Douglas168">Douglas, p.168.</ref> ''[[Wisden Cricketers' Almanack|Wisden]]'' wrote that "most of those watching it for the first time must have come to the conclusion that, while strictly within the law, it was not nice."<ref name="Douglas168" /><ref>See ''Cricinfo'' for the [http://www.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/1930S/1933/WI_IN_ENG/WI_ENG_T2_22-25JUL1933.html scorecard] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050125024331/http://www.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/1930S/1933/WI_IN_ENG/WI_ENG_T2_22-25JUL1933.html |date=25 January 2005 }} of the second Test between England and West Indies in 1933.</ref>

In 1934, Bill Woodfull led Australia back to England in a tour that had been under a cloud since the previous Ashes series. Jardine had retired from International cricket in early 1934 after captaining a fraught tour of India and under England's new captain, [[Bob Wyatt]], agreements were put in place so that bodyline would not be used.<ref name="h84">Haigh and Frith, p. 84.</ref><ref name="ha354">Harte, p. 354.</ref><ref name="r164">Robinson, p. 164.</ref> However, there were occasions when the Australians felt that their hosts had crossed the mark with tactics resembling bodyline.<ref name="h842">Haigh and Frith, p. 84.</ref> In a match between the Australians and Nottinghamshire, Voce, one of the bodyline bowlers in 1932–33 again used the tactics. Woodfull told the Nottinghamshire administrators that, if Voce's leg-side bowling was repeated, his men would leave the field and return to London. He further said that Australia would not return to the country in the future.<ref name="r1642">Robinson, p. 164.</ref><ref name="h85">Haigh and Frith, p. 85.</ref><ref name="p28-30">Perry, pp. 147–148.</ref><ref>Harte, p. 356.</ref>

==== Outlawing ====
Originally, the MCC hoped that captains would ensure that the game was played in the correct spirit, and passed a resolution that bodyline bowling would breach this spirit.<ref name="Williamson">{{cite web |last=Williamson |first=Martin |title=A brief history ... Bodyline |work=Cricinfo |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/bodyline/content/story/148537.html |access-date=6 March 2013 |publisher=ESPNCricinfo |archive-date=4 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191004065604/http://www.espncricinfo.com/bodyline/content/story/148537.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>Frith, p. 374.</ref> When this proved to be insufficient,<ref name="Williamson" /> the MCC passed a law for the 1935 English cricket season, that "direct attack" bowling was unfair and became the responsibility of the umpires to identify and stop.<ref name="F408">Frith, p. 408.</ref> Later, in 1957, the Laws were altered to prevent more than two fielders standing behind square on the leg side; the intention was to prevent negative bowling tactics whereby off spinners and slow inswing bowlers aimed at the leg stump of batsmen with fielders concentrated on the leg side.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Chalke |first1=Stephen |title=No Coward Soul. The remarkable story of Bob Appleyard |last2=Hodgson |first2=Derek |publisher=Fairfield Books |year=2003 |isbn=0-9531196-9-6 |location=Bath |page=177}}</ref> However, an indirect effect was to make bodyline fields impossible to implement.<ref name="Williamson2">{{cite web |last=Williamson |first=Martin |title=A brief history ... Bodyline |work=Cricinfo |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/bodyline/content/story/148537.html |access-date=6 March 2013 |publisher=ESPNCricinfo |archive-date=4 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191004065604/http://www.espncricinfo.com/bodyline/content/story/148537.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Later law changes, under the heading of "Intimidatory Short Pitched Bowling", also restricted the number of "[[Bouncer (cricket)|bouncers]]" which could be bowled in an [[Over (cricket)|over]].<ref name="begin">{{cite web |title=A Dummy's Guide to Bodyline |url=http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/bodyline/content/story/316343.html |access-date=31 July 2008 |publisher=[[Cricinfo]] |archive-date=19 January 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130119205934/http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/bodyline/content/story/316343.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>Frith, pp. 10–17.</ref>

=== End of timeless Tests ===
{{Main|Timeless Test}}There were 99 timeless Tests between 1877 and 1939.<ref>John Lazenby, ''Edging Towards Darkness: The Story of the Last Timeless Test'', Bloomsbury, London, 2017, p. 180.</ref> Of these, five were held in England, two in South Africa, one in the West Indies, with the remaining ninety-one being held in Australia. All Tests in Australia were timeless prior to [[World War II]]. The Australian climate combined with groundskeepers leaving the pitch uncovered and watering the pitch well meant pitches would dry out and crack as the match progressed, often making batting difficult by days four or five.<ref>Lazenby, p. 229.</ref> Only two timeless Tests in Australia were drawn, both against England in 1882, when the matches had to be left unfinished due to shipping schedules.<ref>Lazenby, pp. 188–89.</ref> 

Timeless Tests were sometimes used outside Australia if the series result depended on the outcome of the match. This happened in [[Kingston, Jamaica|Kingston]] in 1930 when the Fourth (and final) Test between West Indies and England lasted for seven playing days and had to be abandoned owing to shipping schedules. The fifth and final Test at The Oval in 1938 was also timeless, as England batted for the first two and a half days and made 903 for 7, before declaring and dismissing Australia twice by the end of the fourth day.<ref>Lazenby, pp. 187–88.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=4th Test, England tour of West Indies at Kingston, Apr 3–12 1930 |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/17590/scorecard/62579/west-indies-vs-england-4th-test-england-tour-of-west-indies-1929-30/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180329190012/http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/17590/scorecard/62579/west-indies-vs-england-4th-test-england-tour-of-west-indies-1929-30/ |archive-date=29 March 2018 |access-date=29 March 2018 |website=Cricinfo}}</ref>
[[File:StateLibQld 1 133529 Athlone Castle (ship).jpg|thumb|300x300px|The [[RMMV Athlone Castle|Athlone Castle]], the ship England needed to catch]]
The fifth and final Test at [[Kingsmead Cricket Ground|Durban]] in 1938–39 between [[South Africa national cricket team|South Africa]] and [[England cricket team|England]] was also timeless. The infamous match was spread over twelve days with nine days of actual play – including two rest days and one day with no play. The match started on Friday 3 March 1939. South Africa batted first and were bowled out for 530 on Monday 6th March, with the Sunday having been a rest day. In reply England were bowled out on Wednesday, 8th March for 316. South Africa extended their lead with 481 in their second innings, as they batted for another two days, setting England a target of 696 to win. England were 0/0 at stumps on Thursday 9 March. At stumps on Friday 10 March, England had reached 253 for the loss of just one wicket. There was no play on Saturday, and Sunday was a rest day. They resumed on Monday, reaching 496 for the loss of three wickets. By 14 March 1939, they had reached 654 for the loss of five wickets in the fourth innings (the highest ever [[First-class cricket|first-class]] fourth innings score)<ref name="Beard">{{cite book |last=Frindall |first=Bill |author-link=Bill Frindall |title=Ask Bearders |publisher=[[BBC Books]] |year=2009 |isbn=978-1-84607-880-4 |pages=216–217}}</ref> but the match had to remain unfinished as England's had to catch a train to Cape Town where their boat home was due to depart. The match had not been expected to take more than five days, but rain and rolling rejuvenated the pitch three times during the match, and it was still in good condition for batting when the match was abandoned.<ref>Lazenby, pp. 99–181.</ref> 

The South Africans suggested that England could make alternative travel arrangements, to allow the match to be finished the next day. Hammond had had enough and disagreed. And so the match was called off. He remarked in his final speech: “I don’t think timeless Test matches are in the best interests of the game, and I sincerely hope that the last one has been played.”<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bull |first=Andy |date=2015-12-22 |title=The Test match that went on and on and on. Without a winner but with meaning |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/dec/22/the-spin-cricket-the-timeless-test-1939 |access-date=2025-09-12 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Wisden noted: "the limitless match we now believe to be dead."<ref name=":19">{{Cite web |date=2015-11-26 |title=Changes to Test cricket over the years |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/changes-to-test-cricket-over-the-years/72xnur0tp |access-date=2025-09-20 |website=SBS News |language=en}}</ref> 

Timeless Tests were never scheduled after World War II, owing to the scheduling difficulties of matches that could continue indefinitely,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Timeless Test matches: Play until there's a result |url=https://www.theroar.com.au/2020/06/30/timeless-test-matches-play-until-theres-a-result/ |access-date=2025-09-12 |website=The Roar |language=en-US |archive-date=24 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240224103504/https://www.theroar.com.au/2020/06/30/timeless-test-matches-play-until-theres-a-result/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and the comparative dullness of the play.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bull |first=Andy |date=2011-07-19 |title=The return of the timeless Tests |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2011/jul/19/the-spin-return-timeless-tests |access-date=2025-09-12 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
=== Admission of Pakistan ===
[[File:Abdul Hafeez Kardar and Lala Amarnath with President of India Rajendra Prasad.jpg|thumb|300x300px|Captains [[Abdul Hafeez Kardar|Abdul Kardar]] (left) and [[Lala Amarnath]] (right) with Indian President [[Rajendra Prasad]] (center) on the day of the first test, 16 October 1952]]On 28 July 1952, Pakistan were admitted to the ICC, and in October that year played their first Test match.<ref>{{Cite web |last=icc |title=1909–1963 – Imperial Cricket Conference {{!}} About ICC Cricket |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/about/the-icc/history-of-icc/1909-1963 |access-date=2025-09-12 |website=icc |language=en |archive-date=22 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240222135726/https://www.icc-cricket.com/about/the-icc/history-of-icc/1909-1963 |url-status=live }}</ref> Almost 30 years passed until the next member (Sri Lanka) joined.
=== Five Day Tests in England ===
In 1948, matches in England were scheduled over five days for the first time.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Goodman |first=Tom |date=2019-08-14 |title=From the Archives: Bradman out for 'duck' in his last Test |url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/from-the-archives-bradman-out-for-duck-in-his-last-test-20190716-p527r0.html |access-date=2025-09-12 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en |archive-date=20 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120181629/https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/from-the-archives-bradman-out-for-duck-in-his-last-test-20190716-p527r0.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Chronology of cricket – Bloomsbury |url=https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/discover/wisden/archive/chronology-of-cricket/ |access-date=2025-09-12 |website=www.bloomsbury.com |archive-date=5 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221005223022/https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/discover/wisden/archive/chronology-of-cricket/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Most matches from 1880 to 1949 were three days, and from 1950 all matches were scheduled for five days except for the 2019 Test between England and Ireland (which was four days) and final matches of series in 1953, 1972 and 1975, which were six days. The [[World Test Championship]] final in 2021 was scheduled for five days with a reserve day, which was used after the first day was lost to rain.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |title=Days allocated to Men's Test Cricket in England – The ACS |url=https://acscricket.com/?page_id=6708 |access-date=2025-09-12 |language=en-GB |archive-date=20 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250320174325/https://acscricket.com/?page_id=6708 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 8 March 1955, the ICC made the following decision at their meeting:<ref name=":8" />

{{Blockquote|text=In future all members of the Imperial Cricket Conference visiting England will play five five-day Test Matches. This will bring India, West Indies, New Zealand and Pakistan into line for the first time with Australia and South Africa.|author=}}

=== Advent of covered pitches ===
Various levels of "covering" existed through the history of cricket, from the Laws in 1884—"The ground shall not be rolled, watered, covered, mown, or beaten during a match, except before the commencement of each innings and of each day’s play." This phrasing remained until the 1947 Laws, which stated the pitch should not be covered "unless special regulations so provide". These Laws also permitted covering the run-ups to the pitch. The next edition of the Laws, in 1980, allowed for "complete covering of the pitch" before a match, but not during "unless prior arrangement or regulations so provide."<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last=Ebor |first=Old |date=2022-05-17 |title=The Extinction of the Sticky Wicket: The Confusing History of Pitch Covering |url=https://oldebor.wordpress.com/2022/05/17/the-extinction-of-the-sticky-wicket-the-confusing-history-of-pitch-covering/ |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=Old Ebor |language=en}}</ref>

The main issue with uncovered pitches was that it produced "sticky wickets", which occurred after rain, while the pitch was drying, especially when this happened quickly. On a genuine sticky wicket, players could expect the ball to turn sharply with just a small amount of spin on the ball. Some balls might deviate a significant amount, while others would skid through. There was also often extremely uneven bounce.<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |last=Ebor |first=Old |date=2022-05-10 |title=The Sticky Wicket: How rain used to influence cricket pitches |url=https://oldebor.wordpress.com/2022/05/10/the-sticky-wicket-how-rain-used-to-influence-cricket-pitches/ |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=Old Ebor |language=en |archive-date=1 September 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250901212409/https://oldebor.wordpress.com/2022/05/10/the-sticky-wicket-how-rain-used-to-influence-cricket-pitches/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Leaving pitches uncovered also meant rain would cause huge delays while the ground dried out enough to permit play. The loss of time and gate money was of huge concern to administrators, especially those with precarious finances.<ref name=":10" />

Due to several wet summers, after much discussion, from the beginning of the [[1959 English cricket season|1959 season]], full covering was made compulsory for County cricket and Test matches.<ref name=":9" /> The entire pitch had to be covered every evening and on Sundays, it also had to be covered whenever play was abandoned due to rain. The only instance where pitches were not covered was when players came off due to rain but play was not abandoned.

From the 1960s and 70s, uncovered pitches across the world began to be phased out.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-04-20 |title=Pushing the (sealed) envelope: An alternative to the coin toss |url=https://www.wisden.com/cricket-news/a-good-toss-to-lose-david-franklin-pushes-crickets-sealed-envelope |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=Wisden |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Covered pitches |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/cricket-s-turning-points-covered-pitches-461172 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240603232219/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/cricket-s-turning-points-covered-pitches-461172 |archive-date=3 June 2024 |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1960, the first full covering during a Test was used in England.<ref name=":9" /> However, regulations were sometimes vague and even contradictory.<ref name=":9" /> The final changes came in the 1970s. In 1979, Test matches in England had total pitch covering during rain.<ref name=":9" /> The end of sticky wickets came in 1981 when the same full covering was enforced in all English first-class matches.<ref name=":9" />

After these changes, pitches became more standardised across the world, although differences still remained between countries and even between venues, due to the type of soil used and the local climate.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McGarry |first=Andrew |date=2015-11-26 |title=Innovations that changed the game of cricket |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-26/innovations-that-changed-cricket/6977816 |access-date=2025-09-13 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU |archive-date=27 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240227112536/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-26/innovations-that-changed-cricket/6977816 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-14 |title=The science of cricket pitch soil |url=https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/culture/cricket-pitch-soil-science-wicket/ |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=cosmosmagazine.com |language=en-AU |archive-date=13 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250613224211/https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/culture/cricket-pitch-soil-science-wicket/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Climate phenomenon catches England cricketers out down under – University of Reading |url=https://archive.reading.ac.uk/news-events/2009/June/pr21992.html |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=archive.reading.ac.uk}}</ref>

=== Imperial Cricket Conference renamed International Cricket Conference ===
On 15 July 1965, the Imperial Cricket Conference renamed itself the International Cricket Conference and countries from all over the world could be admitted, instead of only commonwealth countries.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |title=The ICC becomes democratic |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/cricket-s-turning-points-the-icc-becomes-democratic-514060 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240422033549/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/cricket-s-turning-points-the-icc-becomes-democratic-514060 |archive-date=22 April 2024 |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=icc |title=1964–1988 – International Cricket Conference {{!}} About ICC Cricket |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/about/the-icc/history-of-icc/1964-1988 |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=icc |language=en |archive-date=14 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211214102554/https://www.icc-cricket.com/about/the-icc/history-of-icc/1964-1988 |url-status=live }}</ref> Despite this, it was still run as an exclusive club by English cricket–the MCC president was the ICC president and the MCC secretary was the ICC secretary.<ref name=":11" />

=== Suspension of South Africa (1970–1991) ===
{{See also|Sporting boycott of South Africa during the apartheid era}}

==== Apartheid ====
{{Main|Apartheid}}
Globally, tensions were rising throughout the 1960s against the [[apartheid]] regime of the South African government. Sporting boycotts due to the regime were enacted in the 1960s as countries across the world showed their condemnation of racial segregation.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |title=When politics killed a tour |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/rewind-to-1970-when-politics-killed-a-tour-571799 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119201635/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/rewind-to-1970-when-politics-killed-a-tour-571799 |archive-date=19 January 2025 |access-date=2025-09-19 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en |url-status=live }}</ref> South Africa left the Commonwealth of Nations in 1961, and per the rules of the time, therefore had to leave the ICC.<ref name=":13">{{Cite web |title=History of Cricket |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/campus/2007/02/04/feature_cricket.htm |access-date=2025-09-19 |website=archive.thedailystar.net |archive-date=2 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231202111919/https://archive.thedailystar.net/campus/2007/02/04/feature_cricket.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== D'Oliveira affair ====
[[File:Anti-apartheidsdemonstratie in Amsterdam de kop van de demonstratie, Bestanddeelnr 934-2645.jpg|thumb|300x300px|Anti-apartheid protest in [[Amsterdam]], 1988]]
{{Main|D'Oliveira affair}}
In 1968, Basil d'Oliveira, a mixed-race South African player who had represented England since 1966, was prohibited from playing by the South African government, in a development known as the [[D'Oliveira affair]]. The British prime minister at the time, [[Harold Wilson]] remarked: "Once the South Africans had said that they were not taking a player [d'Oliveira] we wanted to send, I would have rather thought that put them beyond the pale of civilized cricket."<ref name="booth98p99">Booth 1998 [[iarchive:racegamesportpol0000boot/page/99|p. 99]]</ref> Due to the affair, the English tour of South Africa was cancelled.<ref name=":12" />

==== Cancelled 1970 tour ====
{{Main|South African cricket team in England in 1970 (proposed)}}
Eighteen months later, South Africa was due to tour England as part of the 1970 season, and the public was growing discontent with the prospect of the tour,<ref name=":12" /> meanwhile the game's administrators remained steadfast in its determination that the tour should go ahead.<ref name=":12" /> Minutes of several meetings of the ICC and MCC showed they were much more concerned with the upcoming metrication in the UK and subsequent changing of the pitch length from 22 yards to 20.12 metres, and the weight of the ball from 5.5 ounces to 155.8 grams.<ref name=":12" /> On December 12 1969, the Test and County Cricket Board (the precursor to the [[England and Wales Cricket Board|ECB]]) confirmed the tour would proceed, adding it was "averse to racial discrimination of any kind ... and respected the right of those who wish to demonstrate peacefully." However, at that stage protests had escalated from being peaceful.<ref name=":12" /> By the end of January 1970, twelve county grounds had been vandalised. 

On 30 January, the [[International Cavaliers]], a touring charity-based multi-racial cricket team, had been refused entry to South Africa. A letter from the South African Cricket Association ended with "you must be aware any tour ... including non-white personnel would not be allowed." The MCC tried to distance itself from the situation, claiming that the Cavaliers were a private organisation; this only served to make itself appear woefully out of touch with the world.<ref name=":12" />

By mid-February, the MCC had cut the schedule from 28 to 11 matches, as they removed grounds seen as impossible to protect. They even permitted laying of artificial pitches on grounds hosting games, in order to allow play to continue if they were vandalised during play.<ref name=":12" /> Both pro and anti-tour letters were sent to newspapers as the tour grew closer, with players and officials taking stances for or against. Some journalists refused to commentate on any of the games; one, [[John Arlott]], said that while he was not sure protests at games were the answer, he felt that by allowing the tour to go ahead the ICC had put cricket in a position where it would be "the ultimate and inevitable sufferer" and that the Tests "would offer comfort and confirmation to a completely evil regime."

==== Ban ====
In April, Harold Wilson told the BBC that the MCC had made "a big mistake" in allowing the tour to happen. "Everyone should be free to demonstrate against apartheid ... I hope people will feel free to do so." In early May, the annual meeting of the MCC backed the tour without requiring a vote. Later, Warwickshire said they wouldn't pick any of their three coloured players for the match against the South Africans. The following day the gates at [[Edgbaston Cricket Ground|Edgbaston]] were vandalised.<ref name=":12" /> On 20 May, 12 days before the first match, the ICC voted almost unanimously for the tour to go ahead. "It was agreed in the long term this policy was in the best interests of cricket, and of cricketers of all races in South Africa," proclaimed secretary [[Billy Griffith]]. Despite this, the ICC stated there would be no further series involving South Africa "until SA cricket is played and teams selected on a multi-racial basis." An editorial in the Daily Mirror wrote: "The rulers of cricket stonewall on ... if this is their last word, they are assuming a terrible responsibility." On 22 May,<ref>{{Cite news |date=1970-05-22 |title=1970: South Africa cricket tour called off |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/22/newsid_2504000/2504573.stm |access-date=2025-09-19 |language=en-GB |archive-date=7 March 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080307133241/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/22/newsid_2504000/2504573.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> the ICC called the tour off "with great regret", following a strongly worded official request from James Callaghan, the British home secretary. Griffith said he "regretted the discourtesy" to the South African board and further said he "deplored the activities of those who intimidate."

Inside the British government, there were fears the tour would cause racial unrest within the country, and allowing the tour to carry on could only harm Wilson's chances of re-election. John Vorster, South Africa's prime minister was furious. "For a government to submit so easily and so willingly to open blackmail is to me unbelievable." [[Ali Bacher]], South Africa's captain was more reserved: "I regret the manner in which politics have become involved in cricket ... [but] unless we broaden our outlook we will remain forever in isolation." That isolation lasted longer than anyone feared as the ICC's members voted to suspend South Africa indefinitely from international cricket at their meeting.<ref name=":13" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=icc |title=History of Cricket in the 20th Century {{!}} About ICC Cricket |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/about/cricket/history-of-cricket/20th-century |access-date=2025-09-19 |website=icc |language=en |archive-date=20 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520193911/https://www.icc-cricket.com/about/cricket/history-of-cricket/20th-century |url-status=live }}</ref> 

==== Rebel tours ====
{{Main|South African rebel tours}}
Following the ban from the ICC, [[South African rebel tours|rebel tours]] took place in the 1980s, in spite of the express disapproval of the national cricket boards and governments, the ICC, and international organisations such as the [[United Nations]]<ref>Pg 35–71, Peter May, ''The Rebel Tours: Cricket's Crisis of Conscience'', 2009</ref> They were the subject of enormous controversy and remain a sensitive topic in the cricket world. Many players from various countries were banned for some years for their involvement in the rebel tours.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Humphries |first=Gary Linnell and David |date=2019-07-26 |title=From the Archives. 1985: Rebel cricketers banned for tours of South Africa |url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/from-the-archives-1985-rebel-cricketers-banned-for-tours-of-south-africa-20190726-p52b6l.html |access-date=2025-09-19 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en |archive-date=18 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240718030613/https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/from-the-archives-1985-rebel-cricketers-banned-for-tours-of-south-africa-20190726-p52b6l.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Mason |first=Peter |date=2024-11-06 |title=The 1983 West Indian rebel tour to South Africa that shocked cricket |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/nov/06/cricket-west-indies-rebel-tour-1983-south-africa-clyde-walcott |access-date=2025-09-19 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Williamson |first=Martin |date=13 November 2009 |title=The Dirty Dozen |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/the-dirty-dozen-434386 |website=ESPNCricinfo |access-date=20 September 2025 |archive-date=29 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250629105431/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/the-dirty-dozen-434386 |url-status=live }}</ref> The English cricket side that toured South Africa in 1981–82 became known as "The Dirty Dozen". 

==== Re-admission ====
In 1991, the ICC re-admitted South Africa at the personal request of [[Nelson Mandela]], ending the 22 year ban.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Odendaal |first=Andre |date=20 June 2010 |title=South Africa are isolated |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/cricket-s-turning-points-south-africa-are-isolated-463657 |website=ESPNCricinfo |access-date=20 September 2025 |archive-date=1 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250401030558/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/cricket-s-turning-points-south-africa-are-isolated-463657 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== 6-ball over standardised globally ===
During the first 100 years of Test cricket, the number of balls per [[Over (cricket)|over]] ranged between 4 and 8.<ref name=":15">{{Cite web |title=History of Overs – Test Cricket |url=https://www.howstat.com/Cricket/Statistics/Misc/HistoryOvers.asp |website=Howstat |access-date=20 September 2025 |archive-date=27 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927050157/https://howstat.com/Cricket/Statistics/Misc/HistoryOvers.asp |url-status=live }}</ref> While matches in England had used 6-ball overs since 1946, and in South Africa since 1961–62, Pakistan, New Zealand and Australia had used 8-ball overs for several years. In 1978–79, Pakistan switched to 6-ball overs, and Australia and New Zealand switched the following season from 1979–80, standardising over length globally.<ref name=":15" />

There is no recorded reason for the switching between four, five, six, and eight ball overs in the formative years of cricket, however it is understood that the shortness of four and five-ball overs meant there were too many over changes during the course of the day, and also made it difficult for bowlers to get into a rhythm to plot a dismissal.<ref name=":14">{{Cite web |date=6 June 2008 |title=That's the over |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/that-s-the-over-353235 |access-date=20 September 2025 |website=ESPNCricinfo |archive-date=7 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211207031925/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/that-s-the-over-353235 |url-status=live }}</ref> Eight-ball overs were used in Australia in an attempt to get more balls bowled in a day's play due to the reduction in change-overs. However, a downside was that bowlers would slow down in self preservation.<ref name=":14" /> The ICC permitted both 6-ball and 8-ball overs in the Laws, depending on the conditions of play in the host country. From the 2000 Laws, only 6-ball overs were permitted.<ref name=":13" />

It is widely believed that with the commercialisation of cricket and the [[Packer Revolution|Packer revolution]], there was no room left for the 8-ball over and the 6-ball over provided a happy balance between over changes and rhythm for the bowlers.<ref name=":14" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fella |first=Full On |date=2025-02-18 |title=Cricket Hasn't Always had Six Balls Per Over – Full on Sport |url=https://www.fullonsport.co.uk/cricket-hasnt-always-had-six-balls-per-over/ |access-date=2025-09-19 |language=en-US |archive-date=19 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250619034732/https://www.fullonsport.co.uk/cricket-hasnt-always-had-six-balls-per-over/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Admission of Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, and further changes to the ICC ===
On 21 July 1981, Sri Lanka was admitted by the ICC as a full member, becoming the eighth Test playing nation. They played their first Test match [[English cricket team in Sri Lanka in 1981–82#Only Test|against England]] at [[Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu Stadium|P. Sara Oval]], Colombo on 17 February 1982.<ref>{{cite web |title=First Test match for Sri Lanka |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63307.html |accessdate=5 August 2016 |work=ESPN Cricinfo |archive-date=26 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226135239/http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63307.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In July 1989, the International Cricket Conference renamed itself to the International Cricket Council. In the same year, the practice of the MCC President automatically assuming the chairmanship of the ICC came to an end, though with the election of [[Colin Cowdrey]], was still led by an Englishman.<ref name=":16">{{Cite web |last=icc |title=1989–Present – International Cricket Council {{!}} About ICC Cricket |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/about/the-icc/history-of-icc/1989-present |access-date=2025-09-19 |website=icc |language=en |archive-date=16 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816142659/https://www.icc-cricket.com/about/the-icc/history-of-icc/1989-present |url-status=live }}</ref> The renamed organisation had more teeth; it was no longer confined to just making recommendations to national governing bodies, but could impose binding decisions on members.<ref name=":16" />

In July 1992, Zimbabwe was admitted by the ICC as a full member, becoming the ninth Test playing nation. They played their first Test match in October that year, against [[India national cricket team|India]] at [[Harare Sports Club]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Only Test: Zimbabwe v India at Harare, Oct 18–22, 1992 |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/63583.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111023202744/http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/63583.html |archive-date=23 October 2011 |access-date=5 November 2011 |work=Cricinfo |publisher=[[ESPNcricinfo]]}}</ref>

1993 saw the creation of the Chief Executive of ICC, to which David Richards of the Australian Cricket Board was appointed. With his appointment, the practice of the MCC's secretary performing the same function for the ICC came to an end.<ref name=":16" />

=== Television replays, return of South Africa and neutral umpires ===
{{Main|Third umpire}}
The [[Indian cricket team in South Africa in 1992–93|Indian tour of South Africa in 1992–93]] marked the first use of television replays in Test cricket, and was also the first Test series played by South Africa after their ban by the ICC 23 years previous.<ref name=":17">{{Cite web |title=A historic tour in more ways than one |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/a-historic-tour-in-more-ways-than-one-87448 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241215025411/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/a-historic-tour-in-more-ways-than-one-87448 |archive-date=15 December 2024 |access-date=2025-09-20 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en |url-status=live }}</ref> The tour was also known for the trialling of [[Elite Panel of ICC Umpires|independent umpires]].<ref name=":17" /><ref name=":19" /> Television replays were used to settle "awkward line decisions" which morphed into the [[third umpire]] provision.<ref name=":17" /><ref name=":18">{{Cite news |title=SOUTH AFRICA v INDIA 1992–93 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/153619.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241208055338/https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/153619.html |archive-date=8 December 2024 |access-date=2025-09-20 |work=Cricinfo |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Sachin Tendulkar]] was the first player to be given out, run out, by the third umpire.

By 1995, it had been agreed that television replays should be available in Tests "wherever possible" and that the third umpire should signal out with a red light, and not out with a green light (Tendulkar was given out with a green light in the first Test at Durban in November 1992.<ref name=":18" />) 

In 1996, cameras were also permitted to check whether a ball had crossed the boundary, and in 1997, umpires could call on the third umpire to check if a catch was clean or not.<ref>{{Cite web |last=icc |title=1989–Present – International Cricket Council {{!}} About ICC Cricket |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/about/the-icc/history-of-icc/1989-present |access-date=2025-09-20 |website=icc |language=en |archive-date=16 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816142659/https://www.icc-cricket.com/about/the-icc/history-of-icc/1989-present |url-status=live }}</ref>

Test Match Playing Conditions in 1998–99 contained the following rules:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Test Match Playing Conditions |url=https://i.imgci.com/link_to_database/ABOUT_CRICKET/ICC_1998-99/TEST_MATCH_PLAYING_CONDITIONS.html |access-date=2025-09-20 |website=i.imgci.com}}</ref>
{{Blockquote|text=The third Umpire will officiate in regard to TV replays only when the Umpires on the field have referred a decision to him in regard to hit wicket, run out, caught or stumping appeals.}}{{Blockquote|text=Either the on field or third umpire shall be entitled to call for a TV replay to assist him in making a decision about whether the fieldsman had any part of his person in contact with the ball when he touched or crossed the boundary line or whether a four or six had been scored (refer to Regulation of ICC Full Members, Clause 2).}}[[Michael Atherton]], opening batsman for England, said after he was given out (caught) by the third umpire in the third Test in Adelaide in 1998: "In my opinion the third umpire should be restricted to line decisions [run outs, stumpings and boundaries]. What people are looking for from a third umpire is 100 per cent correct decision-making, but that's a Utopia that cannot exist. There's often doubt about non-line decisions made by the third umpire. There is no substitute at the end of the day for the player's word out in the middle and the two umpire's control of the decision making process."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atherton: cut powers of third umpire (13 December 1998) |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/atherton-cut-powers-of-third-umpire-13-december-1998-74736 |website=ESPNCricinfo}}</ref>

==Test status==
Test matches are the highest level of cricket, played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the [[International Cricket Council]]. {{As of|June 2017}}, twelve national teams have Test status, the most recently promoted being Afghanistan and Ireland on 22 June 2017.<ref name=AI_test>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/40364481 |title=Ireland & Afghanistan awarded Test status by International Cricket Council |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=22 June 2017 |website=BBC News |access-date=22 June 2017 |archive-date=22 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170622143835/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/40364481 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Teams with Test status===
Test status is conferred upon a country or group of countries by the ICC. There are currently twelve men's teams that have been granted this status: international teams that do not have Test status can play [[first-class cricket]] in the [[ICC Intercontinental Cup]], under conditions which are similar to Tests.

The teams with Test status (with the date of each team's Test debut) are:
#{{cr|Australia}} ([[English cricket team in Australia and New Zealand in 1876–77#First Test|15 March 1877]])
#{{cr|England}} ([[English cricket team in Australia and New Zealand in 1876–77#First Test|15 March 1877]])
#{{cr|South Africa}} ([[English cricket team in South Africa in 1888–89#First Test|12 March 1889]])
#{{cr|West Indies}} ([[West Indian cricket team in England in 1928#First Test, Lord's, 23-26 June 1928|23 June 1928]])
#{{cr|New Zealand}} ([[English cricket team in New Zealand in 1929–30#First Test|10 January 1930]])
#{{cr|India}} ([[Indian cricket team in England in 1932#Test summary|25 June 1932]])
#{{cr|Pakistan}} ([[Pakistani cricket team in India in 1952–53#1st Test|16 October 1952]])
#{{cr|Sri Lanka}} ([[English cricket team in Sri Lanka in 1981–82#Only Test|17 February 1982]])
#{{cr|Zimbabwe}} ([[Indian cricket team in Zimbabwe in 1992–93#Only Test|18 October 1992]])
#{{cr|Bangladesh}} ([[Indian cricket team in Bangladesh in 2000–01#Only Test|10 November 2000]])
#{{cr|Ireland}} ([[Pakistani cricket team in Ireland in 2018#Only Test|11 May 2018]])
#{{cr|Afghanistan|2013}} ([[Afghan cricket team in India in 2018#Only Test|14 June 2018]])

Nine of these teams represent independent sovereign nations:  the England cricket team represents the [[countries of the United Kingdom|constituent countries]] of [[England]] and [[Wales]], the West Indies is a combined team from fifteen Caribbean nations and territories, and Ireland represents both the [[Republic of Ireland]] and [[Northern Ireland]].

Following the [[D'Oliveira affair]] in 1969, [[History of cricket in South Africa from 1970–71 to 1990|South Africa]] was suspended from all forms of cricket from 1970 until the end of the [[Apartheid|apartheid regime]] in [[Negotiations to end apartheid in South Africa|1991]].

Zimbabwe's Test status was voluntarily suspended in 2006 because of very poor performances, but its Test status was reinstated in August 2011.<ref>[http://www.voanews.com/zimbabwe/news/Zimbabwe-Cricket-Resume-Test-Play-After-Six-Year-Break-126790218.html Zimbabwe Cricket Side Resume International Test Play After Six-Year Break] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120131101339/http://www.voanews.com/zimbabwe/news/Zimbabwe-Cricket-Resume-Test-Play-After-Six-Year-Break-126790218.html |date=31 January 2012 }} – [[Voice of America]].</ref>

The ICC has made several proposals to reform the system of granting Test status, including having two tiers  with [[promotion and relegation]],<ref>{{cite web |date=18 July 2016 |title=NZC 'big supporter' of two-tier Test system, says CEO |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/new-zealand-cricket-big-supporter-of-two-tier-test-system-says-ceo-david-white-1036139 |access-date=10 August 2016 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |archive-date=29 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210729212237/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/new-zealand-cricket-big-supporter-of-two-tier-test-system-says-ceo-david-white-1036139 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=4 September 2016 |title=Afghanistan ready to play Tests – ACB chief executive |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/afghanistan-ready-to-play-tests-acb-chief-executive-shafiq-stanikzai-1054077 |access-date=5 September 2016 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |first=Peter |last=Della Penna |archive-date=27 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727070534/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/afghanistan-ready-to-play-tests-acb-chief-executive-shafiq-stanikzai-1054077 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=27 June 2016 |title=BCB vice-president against two-tier Test system |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/bcb-vice-president-against-two-tier-test-system-1030121 |first=Mohammad |last=Isam |access-date=10 August 2016 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |archive-date=27 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210527105441/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/bcb-vice-president-against-two-tier-test-system-1030121 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=31 August 2016 |title=Four-day Tests, two-tier system not the answer – Thakur |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/four-day-tests-two-tier-system-not-the-answer-bcci-president-anurag-thakur-1052477 |access-date=31 August 2016 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |archive-date=29 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210729230624/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/four-day-tests-two-tier-system-not-the-answer-bcci-president-anurag-thakur-1052477 |url-status=live |first=Peter |last=Della Penna}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=1 June 2016 |title=ICC planning two Test divisions amid major overhaul |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/icc-planning-two-test-divisions-amid-major-overhaul-1022445 |first=George |last=Dobell |access-date=10 August 2016 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |archive-date=12 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512021542/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/icc-planning-two-test-divisions-amid-major-overhaul-1022445 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=7 September 2016 |title=Two-tier proposal shelved at ICC meeting |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/two-tier-proposal-shelved-at-icc-meeting-1055073 |first=Nagraj |last=Gollapudi |access-date=21 October 2016 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |archive-date=16 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416143041/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/two-tier-proposal-shelved-at-icc-meeting-1055073 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Baseball-style conference structure proposed for Tests |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/baseball-style-conference-structure-proposed-for-tests-1062376 |first=Daniel |last=Brettig |access-date=21 October 2016 |archive-date=24 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210724132330/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/baseball-style-conference-structure-proposed-for-tests-1062376 |url-status=live}}</ref> or a [[playoffs|play-off]] between the winners of the [[ICC Intercontinental Cup]] and the team with the lowest [[ICC Men's Test Team Rankings|Test ranking]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://live-cricketstreaming.com/ |title=Ireland and Scotland to get Test chance as ICC approves play-off |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=10 April 2014 |website=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |access-date=10 April 2014 |archive-date=8 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131108064249/http://www.live-cricketstreaming.com/ |url-status=usurped}}</ref> These proposals have not been successful as of 2024.

===Statistics===
{{main|List of Test cricket records}}
For [[cricket statistics|statistical purposes]], Tests are considered to be a subset of [[first-class cricket]]. Performances in first-class matches count towards only the first-class statistical record, but performances in Test matches count towards both the Test statistics and the first-class statistics.

Statisticians have developed criteria to determine which matches count as Tests if they were played before the formal definition of Test status. There have been exceptional circumstances including the simultaneous England touring sides of 1891–92 ([[English cricket team in Australia in 1891–92|in Australia]] and [[English cricket team in South Africa in 1891–92|South Africa]]) and 1929–30 ([[English cricket team in the West Indies in 1929–30|in the West Indies]] and [[English cricket team in New Zealand in 1929–30|New Zealand]]), all of whose international matches are deemed to have Test status.

In 1970, a series of five "Test matches" was played in England between England and a Rest of the World XI: these matches, originally scheduled between England and South Africa, were amended after South Africa was suspended from international cricket due to their government's [[apartheid]] policies. Although initially given Test status and included as Test matches in some record books, including ''[[Wisden Cricketers' Almanack]]'', this was later withdrawn, and a principle was established that official Test matches can only be between nations (the geographically and demographically small countries of the West Indies have, since 1928, fielded a coalition side).

Despite this principle, in 2005, the ICC ruled that the six-day [[2005 ICC Super Series|Super Series]] match that took place that October between Australia and a World XI was an official Test match: some cricket writers and statisticians, including [[Bill Frindall]], have ignored the ICC's ruling and exclude this match from their records.

The series of "Test matches" played in Australia between Australia and a World XI in 1971–72, and the commercial "[[World Series Cricket|Supertests]]" organised by [[Kerry Packer]] as part of his [[World Series Cricket]] enterprise played between "WSC Australia", "WSC World XI" and "WSC West Indies" from 1977 to 1979, have never been regarded as official Test matches as of 2021.

==Conduct of the game==
===Playing time===
{{See also|Playing time (cricket)}}
A standard day of Test cricket consists of three sessions of two hours each, the break between sessions being 40 minutes for lunch and 20 minutes for tea. However, the times of sessions and intervals may be altered in certain circumstances: if bad weather or a change of innings occurs close to a scheduled break, the break may be taken immediately; if there has been a loss of playing time, for example because of bad weather, the session times may be adjusted to make up the lost time; if the batting side is nine [[dismissal (cricket)|wickets]] down at the scheduled tea break, then the interval may be delayed until either 30 minutes has elapsed or the team is ''all out'';<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lords.org/laws-and-spirit/laws-of-cricket/laws/law-15-intervals,41,AR.html |title=The Laws of Cricket – Law 15.8 |publisher=Lords.org |access-date=18 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121124062128/http://www.lords.org/laws-and-spirit/laws-of-cricket/laws/law-15-intervals,41,AR.html |archive-date=24 November 2012}}</ref> the final session may be extended by up to 30 minutes if 90 or more [[over (cricket)|overs]] have not been [[bowling (cricket)|bowled]] in that day's play (subject to any reduction for adverse weather);<ref>{{cite web |url=http://l.yimg.com/t/icccricket/pdfs/test_playing_conditions.pdf |title=ICC Standard Test match Playing Conditions ("Playing Conditions") cl 16.1.1 |access-date=18 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111201928/http://l.yimg.com/t/icccricket/pdfs/test_playing_conditions.pdf |archive-date=11 January 2012}}</ref> the final session may be extended by 30 minutes (except on the 5th day) if the umpires believe the result can be decided within that time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://l.yimg.com/t/icccricket/pdfs/test_playing_conditions.pdf |title=Playing Conditions cl 16.2 |access-date=18 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111201928/http://l.yimg.com/t/icccricket/pdfs/test_playing_conditions.pdf |archive-date=11 January 2012}}</ref>

Today, Test matches are scheduled to be played across five consecutive days. However, in the [[History of Test cricket from 1877 to 1883|early days]] of Test cricket, matches were played for three or four days. [[Irish cricket team in England in 2023#Only Test|England hosted Ireland at Lord's]] on 1 June 2023 for a four-day test.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ireland tour of England |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/ireland-in-england-2023-1336035/england-vs-ireland-only-test-1336127/live-cricket-score |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=1 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531013332/https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/ireland-in-england-2023-1336035/england-vs-ireland-only-test-1336127/live-cricket-score |archive-date=31 May 2023 |language=en |date=1 June 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> There were also frequent six-day tests until the 1970s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Test matches {{!}} Team records {{!}} Longest matches (by days) |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/longest-matches-by-days-284023 |access-date=2024-12-29 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en |archive-date=30 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241230000100/https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/longest-matches-by-days-284023 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Four-day Test matches were last played in 1973, between [[Pakistani cricket team in New Zealand in 1972–73|New Zealand and Pakistan]].<ref name="NZPak">{{cite web |title=Cremer senses opportunity in shorter contest |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/cremer-senses-opportunity-in-shorter-contest-1130012 |access-date=19 December 2017 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |archive-date=29 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529081602/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/cremer-senses-opportunity-in-shorter-contest-1130012 |url-status=live}}</ref> Until the 1980s, it was usual to include a 'rest day,' often a Sunday. There have also been '[[Timeless Test]]s', which have no predetermined maximum time. In 2005, Australia played a match scheduled for six days against a World XI, which the ICC sanctioned as an official Test match, though the match reached a conclusion on the fourth day. In October 2017, the ICC approved a request for a four-day Test match, between [[Zimbabwean cricket team in South Africa in 2017–18#Only Test|South Africa and Zimbabwe]], which started on 26 December 2017 and ended on the second day, 27 December.<ref name="approve">{{cite web |title=Test, ODI leagues approved by ICC Board |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/test-odi-leagues-approved-by-icc-board-1123784 |access-date=13 October 2017 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=13 October 2017 |archive-date=16 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516004434/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/test-odi-leagues-approved-by-icc-board-1123784 |url-status=live}}</ref> The ICC trialed the four-day Test format until the [[2019 Cricket World Cup]].<ref name="trial">{{cite web |title=South Africa to play Zimbabwe in inaugural four-day Test |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/south-africa-to-play-zimbabwe-in-inaugural-four-day-test-1123807 |access-date=13 October 2017 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=13 October 2017 |archive-date=13 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413074910/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/south-africa-to-play-zimbabwe-in-inaugural-four-day-test-1123807 |url-status=live}}</ref> In December 2019, [[Cricket Australia]] were considering playing four-day Tests, subject to consensus with other Test nations.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thenational.ae/sport/cricket/australian-cricket-board-to-seriously-consider-four-day-test-matches-1.957158 |title=Australian cricket board to 'seriously consider' four-day Test matches |work=The National |date=28 December 2019 |access-date=28 December 2019 |archive-date=28 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191228172132/https://www.thenational.ae/sport/cricket/australian-cricket-board-to-seriously-consider-four-day-test-matches-1.957158 |url-status=live}}</ref> Later the same month, the ICC considered the possibility of making four-day Test matches mandatory for the [[World Test Championship|ICC World Test Championship]] from 2023.<ref>{{cite web |title=ICC to consider mandatory four-day Tests |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/icc-to-consider-mandatory-four-day-tests-1211511 |access-date=30 December 2019 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |archive-date=25 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125124640/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/icc-to-consider-mandatory-four-day-tests-1211511 |url-status=live}}</ref>

There have been attempts by the ICC, the sport's governing body, to introduce [[Day/night Test|day-night Test matches]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Lord's could host first day night Test in May 2010 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/lord-s-could-host-first-day-night-test-in-may-2010-397240 |access-date=18 July 2013 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |archive-date=22 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422020105/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/lord-s-could-host-first-day-night-test-in-may-2010-397240 |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2012, the International Cricket Council passed playing conditions that allowed for the staging of day-night Test matches.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.wisdenindia.com/cricket-news/icc-paves-day-night-tests/32709 |title=ICC paves way for Day-Night Tests |publisher=Wisden India |date=29 October 2012 |access-date=30 October 2012 |archive-date=30 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630231143/http://www.wisdenindia.com/cricket-news/icc-paves-day-night-tests/32709 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The first day-night Test took place during [[New Zealand cricket team in Australia in 2015–16|New Zealand's tour to Australia]] in November 2015.<ref name="Adelaide">{{cite web |title=First day-night Test for Adelaide Oval |date=29 June 2015 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/first-day-night-test-for-adelaide-oval-892403 |access-date=29 June 2015 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |archive-date=8 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508194706/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/first-day-night-test-for-adelaide-oval-892403 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Play===
{{further|Cricket#Laws and gameplay}}
Test cricket is played in ''innings'' (the word denotes both the singular and the plural). In each innings, one team [[batting (cricket)|bats]] and the other [[bowling (cricket)|bowls]] (or [[fielding (cricket)|fields]]). Ordinarily four innings are played in a Test match, and each team bats twice and bowls twice. Before the start of play on the first day, the two team captains and the match referee [[toss (cricket)|toss a coin]]; the captain who wins the toss decides whether his team will bat or bowl first.

In the following scenarios, the team that bats first is referred to as ''Team A'' and their opponents as ''Team B''.

Usually the teams will alternate at the completion of each innings. Thus, Team A will bat (and Team B will bowl) until its innings ends, and then Team B will bat and Team A will bowl. When Team B's innings ends, Team A begin their second innings, and this is followed by Team B's second innings. The winning team is the one that scores more runs in their two innings.

A team's innings ends in one of the following ways:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lords.org/mcc/laws-of-cricket/laws/law-13-innings/ |title=LAW 13 – INNINGS |publisher=Lords.org |access-date=22 December 2017 |archive-date=1 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001123108/https://www.lords.org/mcc/laws-of-cricket/laws/law-13-innings/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
* The team is "all out". This typically occurs when a team has lost ten wickets (ten of the eleven batters having been [[Dismissal (cricket)|dismissed]]) and are "bowled out". It may occasionally occur with the loss of fewer wickets if one or more batters are unavailable to bat (through injury, for example).
* The team's captain [[Declaration and forfeiture|declares]] the innings closed, usually because they believe they have enough runs. A declaration before the innings starts is called an innings forfeiture.
* The team batting fourth score the required number of runs to win.
* The prescribed time for the match expires.

If, at the completion of Team B's first innings, Team A leads by at least 200 runs, the captain of Team A may (but is not required to) order Team B to have ''their'' second innings next. This is called enforcing the [[follow-on]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lords.org/mcc/laws-of-cricket/laws/law-14-the-follow-on/ |title=Law 14 – The follow-on |publisher=MCC |access-date=29 September 2017 |archive-date=22 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180622060157/https://www.lords.org/mcc/laws-of-cricket/laws/law-14-the-follow-on/ |url-status=live}}</ref> In this case, the usual order of the third and fourth innings is reversed: Team A will bat in the fourth innings. It is rare for a team forced to follow-on to win the match. In Test cricket it has only happened four times, although 344 follow-ons have been enforced.<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 June 2025 |title=Test Cricket – Match Records and Statistics – Miscellaneous |url=https://howstat.com/cricket/statistics/Matches/MatchFollowOn.asp |access-date=17 June 2025 |website=HowSTAT |archive-date=13 September 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250913025427/https://howstat.com/cricket/statistics/Matches/MatchFollowOn.asp |url-status=live }}</ref> Australia was the losing team on three occasions, losing twice to England, in 1894 and in 1981, and once to India in 2001.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Australia has lost 3 Times by Enforcing Follow-On |url=https://www.scorewaves.com/news-details/australia-loses-after-follow-on |access-date=2024-06-06 |website=ScoreWaves |language=en |archive-date=27 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527053823/https://www.scorewaves.com/news-details/australia-loses-after-follow-on |url-status=live }}</ref> Most recently, on February 24, 2023, England lost to New Zealand by one run after enforcing the follow-on.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Matches/MatchFollowOn.asp?FollowOn=T&Result=Lost |title=Matches where Follow-On Available {{!}} Lost by Side Enforcing Follow-On |publisher=Howstat.com |access-date=3 March 2023 |archive-date=4 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404233752/http://howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Matches/MatchFollowOn.asp?FollowOn=T&Result=Lost |url-status=live }}</ref>

If the whole of the first day's play of a Test match has been lost because of bad weather or other reasons like bad light, then Team A may enforce the follow-on if Team B's first innings total is 150 or more fewer than Team A's. During the [[New Zealand cricket team in England in 2013#2nd Test|2nd Test]] between England and New Zealand at [[Headingley Cricket Ground|Headingley]] in 2013, England batted first after the first day was lost because of rain.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/566922.html |title=2nd Test: England v New Zealand at Leeds, May 24–28, 2013 &#124; Cricket Scorecard |work=Cricinfo |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=18 July 2013 |archive-date=24 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130624090021/http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/566922.html |url-status=live}}</ref> New Zealand, batting second, scored 180 runs fewer than England, meaning England could have enforced the follow-on, though chose not to. This is similar to four-day first-class cricket, where the follow-on can be enforced if the difference is 150 runs or more. If the Test is two days or fewer then the "follow-on" value is 100 runs.

After 80 overs, the captain of the bowling side may take a [[Cricket ball|new ball]], although this is not required.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lords.org/mcc/laws-of-cricket/laws/law-4-the-ball/ |title=Law 4 – The ball |publisher=MCC |access-date=29 September 2017 |archive-date=1 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001123047/https://www.lords.org/mcc/laws-of-cricket/laws/law-4-the-ball/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The captain will usually take the new ball: being harder and smoother than an old ball, a new ball generally favours faster bowlers who can make it bounce more variably. The roughened, softer surface of an old ball can be more conducive to spin bowlers, or those using [[swing bowling#Reverse swing|reverse swing]]. The captain may delay the decision to take the new ball if he wishes to continue with his spinners (because the pitch favours spin). After a new ball has been taken, should an innings last a further 80 overs, then the captain will have the option to take another new ball.

A Test match will produce a [[Result (cricket)|result]] by means of one of six scenarios:
*'''All four innings are complete.''' The team batting fourth are ''all out'' before overtaking the other team, usually before matching the other team's score. The team that batted third are the winners by a margin equal to the difference in the aggregate runs scored by the two teams (for example, "Team A won by 95 runs"). Very rarely (in over 2,000 Test matches played, [[Tied Test|it has only happened twice]]) the scores can end level, resulting in a [[Result (cricket)#Tie|tie]].
*'''The team batting in the fourth innings overtakes the opposing team's run total.''' The match ends, and the team batting fourth is the winner by a margin equal to the number of wickets still to fall in the innings (for example, "Team B won by five wickets").
*'''The third innings concludes with the team that batted twice still trailing the team that batted once.''' The match ends without playing a fourth innings. The team that batted only once is the winner by a margin equal to "an innings" plus the difference in aggregate run totals of the teams (for example, "Team A won by an innings and 26 runs").
*'''Time for the match expires without a result being reached.''' This usually occurs at the end of the last day of the match. The result is a [[Result (cricket)#Draw|draw]]: there is no winner, no matter how superior the position of one of the sides. Rain causing a loss of playing time is a common factor in drawn matches, although matches may be drawn even without interference from the weather: usually as a result of poor time management or an intentional effort on the part of one team to avoid losing.
*'''The match is abandoned because the ground is declared unfit for play.'''  This has occurred three times, resulting each time in a draw being declared: England v Australia at [[Headingley Cricket Ground|Headingley]], [[Leeds]], 1975 (vandalism);<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/19/newsid_2534000/2534763.stm |work=BBC News |title=On This Day: 19 August |access-date=18 December 2010 |archive-date=7 March 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080307132506/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/19/newsid_2534000/2534763.stm |url-status=live}}</ref> West Indies v England at [[Sabina Park]], [[Kingston, Jamaica]], 1998 (dangerous ground);<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/63783.html |title=1st Test: West Indies v England at Kingston, Jan 29 – Feb 2, 1998 &#124; Cricket Scorecard |work=Cricinfo |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=18 July 2013 |archive-date=30 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130830204624/http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/63783.html |url-status=live}}</ref> West Indies v England at [[Sir Vivian Richards Stadium]], [[Antigua]], 2009 (dangerous ground).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/wiveng2009/engine/current/match/352662.html |title=2nd Test: West Indies v England at North Sound, Feb 13–17, 2009 &#124; Cricket Scorecard |work=Cricinfo |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=18 July 2013 |archive-date=17 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130917101734/http://www.espncricinfo.com/wiveng2009/engine/current/match/352662.html |url-status=live}}</ref>
*'''The match is awarded through a forfeiture.''' If a team refuses to take the field of play, the umpires may award the match to the opposing team.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lords.org/mcc/laws-of-cricket/laws/law-16-the-result/ |title=Law 16 – The result |publisher=MCC |access-date=29 June 2017 |archive-date=1 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001123036/https://www.lords.org/mcc/laws-of-cricket/laws/law-16-the-result/ |url-status=live}}</ref> This has only happened once in Test cricket, in the [[2006 ball-tampering controversy|2006 fourth Test between England and Pakistan]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/feb/01/england-pakistan-oval |work=The Guardian |location=London |title=England awarded abandoned Oval Test 'win' |date=1 February 2009 |access-date=27 March 2010 |archive-date=28 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228152222/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/feb/01/england-pakistan-oval |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/england/5268560.stm |work=BBC News |title=Test abandoned after ball dispute |date=20 August 2006 |access-date=27 March 2010 |archive-date=21 March 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080321201943/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/5268560.stm |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Clothing and equipment===
{{main|Cricket clothing and equipment}}
[[File:Pollock_to_Hussey.jpg|thumb|right|Test cricketers playing in their whites.]]
Traditionally cricketers play in all-white kit. Unlike in [[limited overs cricket]], this remains the case in Test cricket, as mandated by the ICC Clothing and Equipment Regulations.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://images.icc-cricket.com/image/upload/prd/vou5znt1fvbkl0ucvqll.pdf |title=Clothing and equipment rules and regulations |website=icc-cricket.com |publisher=[[International Cricket Council]] |access-date=3 March 2024 |archive-date=3 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240303232044/https://images.icc-cricket.com/image/upload/prd/vou5znt1fvbkl0ucvqll.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Competitions==
===Tours===
{{main|Category:International cricket tours}}
Test cricket is almost always played as a series of matches between two countries, with all matches in the series taking place in the same country (the host). Often there is a perpetual trophy that is awarded to the winner, the most famous of which is [[the Ashes]] contested between England and Australia. There have been two exceptions to the bilateral nature of Test cricket: the [[1912 Triangular Tournament]], a three-way competition between England, Australia and South Africa (hosted by England), and the [[Asian Test Championship]], an event held in 1998–99 and 2001–02.

The number of matches in Test series has varied from one to seven.<ref name="Seven tests">{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/63065.html |title=Australia v England, Seventh Test, 1970–71 |work=Cricinfo |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=18 July 2013 |archive-date=20 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170620143752/http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/63065.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Up until the early 1990s,<ref name="Neutral umpires">{{cite web |last=Rajesh |first=S. |date=16 April 2011 |title=Neutral umpires |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/cricket-s-turning-points-neutral-umpires-511175 |access-date=30 March 2012 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |archive-date=27 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201227020752/http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/cricket-s-turning-points-neutral-umpires-511175 |url-status=live}}</ref> Test series between international teams were organised between the two national cricket organisations with [[Umpire (cricket)|umpires]] provided by the home team. With the entry of more countries into Test cricket, and a wish by the ICC to maintain public interest in Tests in the face of the popularity of [[One Day International|One Day International cricket]], a rotation system was introduced that sees all ten Test teams playing each other over a six-year cycle, and an official [[ICC Men's Test Team Rankings|ranking system]] (with a trophy held by the highest-ranked team). In this system, umpires are provided by the ICC. An [[Elite Panel of ICC Umpires|elite panel of umpires]] was maintained since 2002, and the panel is supplemented by an additional [[International Panel of ICC Umpires|International Panel]] that includes three umpires named by each Test-playing country. The elite umpires officiate almost all Test matches, though usually not Tests involving their home country.

====Perpetual trophies====
Several pairs of Test teams have established perpetual trophies which are competed for whenever teams play each other in Test series. The current ones are:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name of trophy !! Team 1 !! Team 2 !! First contested !! Latest contested
|-
| [[The Ashes]] || {{cr|AUS}} || {{cr|ENG}} || [[English cricket team in Australia in 1882–83|1882–83]] || [[2023 Ashes series|2023]]
|-
| [[Anthony de Mello Trophy]]{{ref label|rounding|A|A}} || {{cr|IND}} || {{cr|ENG}} || [[English cricket team in India, Pakistan and Ceylon in 1951–52|1951–52]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/sport/cricket/indiaengland-series-played-for-anthony-de-mello-trophy-bcci/article4071143.ece |title=India-England series played for Anthony De Mello trophy: BCCI |newspaper=The Hindu |date=6 November 2012 |access-date=3 June 2016 |archive-date=12 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112125829/http://www.thehindu.com/sport/cricket/indiaengland-series-played-for-anthony-de-mello-trophy-bcci/article4071143.ece |url-status=live}}</ref> || [[English cricket team in India in 2023–24|2023–24]]
|-
| [[Pataudi Trophy]]{{ref label|rounding|A|A}} || {{cr|ENG}} || {{cr|IND}} || [[Indian cricket team in England in 2007|2007]] || [[Indian cricket team in England in 2021|2021]]
|-
| [[Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy]]{{ref label|rounding|A|A}} || {{cr|ENG}} || {{cr|IND}} || [[Indian cricket team in England in 2025|2025]] || [[Indian cricket team in England in 2021|2025]]
|-
| [[Frank Worrell Trophy]] || {{cr|AUS}} || {{cr|WIN}} || [[West Indian cricket team in Australia in 1960–61|1960–61]] || [[West Indian cricket team in Australia in 2023–24|2023–24]]<!--
|-
| [[Wisden Trophy]]{{ref label|rounding|B|B}} || {{cr|ENG}} || {{cr|WIN}} || [[West Indian cricket team in England in 1963|1963]] || [[West Indian cricket team in England in 2020|2020]] -->
|-
| [[Richards–Botham Trophy]]{{ref label|rounding|B|B}} || {{cr|ENG}} || {{cr|WIN}} || [[English cricket team in the West Indies in 2021–22#Test series|2021–22]] || [[West Indian cricket team in England in 2024|2024]]
|-
| [[Trans-Tasman Trophy]] || {{cr|AUS}} || {{cr|NZ}} || [[New Zealand cricket team in Australia in 1985–86|1985–86]] || [[Australian cricket team in New Zealand in 2023–24|2023–24]]
|-
| [[Border–Gavaskar Trophy]] || {{cr|AUS}} || {{cr|IND}} || [[Australian cricket team in India in 1996–97|1996–97]] || [[Indian cricket team in Australia in 2024–25|2024–25]]
|-
| [[Southern Cross Trophy]] || {{cr|AUS}} || {{cr|ZIM}} || [[Australian cricket team in Zimbabwe in 1999–2000|1999–2000]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63851.html |title=Southern Cross Trophy, 1999/00 |work=Cricinfo |access-date=3 June 2016 |archive-date=16 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170716092422/http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63851.html |url-status=live}}</ref> || [[Zimbabwean cricket team in Australia in 2003–04#Test series|2003–04]]
|-
| [[Sir Vivian Richards Trophy]] || {{cr|SA}} || {{cr|WIN}} || [[West Indian cricket team in South Africa in 1998–99#Test series|1998–99]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/stats/index.html?bowling_pacespin=1;class=1;filter=advanced;filter_box=series;home_or_away=1;orderby=wickets;type=team |title=Statistics / Statsguru / Test matches / Team records |access-date=3 June 2016 |archive-date=26 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161126231107/http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/stats/index.html?bowling_pacespin=1;class=1;filter=advanced;filter_box=series;home_or_away=1;orderby=wickets;type=team |url-status=live}}</ref> || [[South African cricket team in the West Indies in 2024|2024]]
|-
| [[Clive Lloyd Trophy]] || {{cr|WIN}} || {{cr|ZIM}} || [[West Indian cricket team in Zimbabwe in 2001#Test series|2001]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/102043.html |title=Test trophy to be named after Clive Lloyd |work=Cricinfo |date=28 July 2001 |access-date=3 June 2016 |archive-date=8 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808171524/http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/102043.html |url-status=live}}</ref> || [[West Indian cricket team in Zimbabwe in 2022–23|2022–23]]
|-
| [[Basil D'Oliveira Trophy]] || {{cr|ENG}} || {{cr|SA}} || [[English cricket team in South Africa in 2004–05|2004–05]] || [[South African cricket team in England in 2022|2022]]
|-
| [[Warne–Muralitharan Trophy]] || {{cr|AUS}} || {{cr|SL}} || [[Sri Lankan cricket team in Australia in 2007–08|2007–08]] || [[Australian cricket team in Sri Lanka in 2024–25|2024–25]]
|-
| [[Gandhi–Mandela Trophy]] || {{cr|IND}} || {{cr|SA}} || [[South African cricket team in India in 2015–16|2015–16]] || [[Indian cricket team in South Africa in 2023–24|2023–24]]
|-
| [[Sobers–Tissera Trophy]] || {{cr|SL}} || {{cr|WIN}} || [[West Indian cricket team in Sri Lanka in 2015–16|2015–16]] || [[West Indian cricket team in Sri Lanka in 2021–22|2021–22]]
|-
| Ganguly–Durjoy Trophy || {{cr|IND}} || {{cr|BAN}} || [[Bangladeshi cricket team in India in 2016–17|2016–17]] || [[Bangladeshi cricket team in India in 2024–25|2024–25]]
|-
| [[Benaud–Qadir Trophy]] || {{cr|AUS}} || {{cr|PAK}} || [[Australian cricket team in Pakistan in 2021–22|2021–22]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pcb.com.pk/press-release-detail/pakistan-and-australia-to-play-for-benaud-qadir-trophy.html |title=Pakistan and Australia to play for Benaud-Qadir Trophy |work=Pakistan Cricket Board |date=10 January 2014 |access-date=3 March 2022 |archive-date=2 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220302113814/https://www.pcb.com.pk/press-release-detail/pakistan-and-australia-to-play-for-benaud-qadir-trophy.html |url-status=live}}</ref> || [[Pakistani cricket team in Australia in 2023–24|2023–24]]
|-
|[[Tangiwai Shield]] || {{cr|NZ}} || {{cr|SA}} || [[South African cricket team in New Zealand in 2023–24|2023–24]] || [[South African cricket team in New Zealand in 2023–24|2023–24]]
|-
|[[Crowe–Thorpe Trophy]] || {{cr|ENG}} || {{cr|NZ}} || [[English cricket team in New Zealand in 2024–25|2024–25]] || [[English cricket team in New Zealand in 2024–25|2024–25]]
|}
{| style="margin:1em auto" align="left"
|-
|{{note label|rounding|A|A}} The Anthony de Mello Trophy is awarded for the India–England test series played in India, whilst the Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy is awarded for the same series played in England. It replaced the Pataudi Trophy which was used until 2021.
|-
|{{note label|rounding|B|B}} The Richards–Botham Trophy, first played for in 2021–22, replaced the [[Wisden Trophy]], which was discontinued after 2020.
|}{{clear}}

{| class="sortable wikitable"
|+Number of perpetual trophies contested by each team
!Team
!No. of Trophies contested
|-
|{{cr|AUS}}
|7
|-
|{{cr|ENG}}
|5
|-
|{{cr|IND}}
|5
|-
|{{cr|WIN}}
|5
|-
|{{cr|RSA}}
|4
|-
|{{cr|NZL}}
|3
|-
|{{cr|SRI}}
|2
|-
|{{cr|ZIM}}
|2
|-
|{{cr|PAK}}
|1
|}

===International Test rankings===
{{main|ICC Men's Test Team Rankings}}
The twelve Test-playing nations are currently ranked as follows:
{{ICC Men's Test Team Rankings}}

===World Test Championship===
{{main|World Test Championship}}
After years of delays since proposals began in 2009, a league competition for Test cricket was held in [[2019–2021 World Test Championship|2019–2021]]. Arranged as a bilateral series in various countries with one team as host and another team as visitor. The length of each series varies between 2 and 5 matches. Ireland, Zimbabwe and Afghanistan are not taking part in this competition, but instead play a program of Test matches with each other and other teams during the same period.

WTC league games are organized by the host nation's cricket board, whereas the final is organized directly by the ICC. The winners of the tournament are awarded the [[ICC Test Championship Mace|Test Mace]], which was previously held by the leader of the [[ICC Men's Test Team Rankings|test team rankings]]. 

====Final results====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
!rowspan=2|Year
! colspan="5" |Final statistics
! colspan="6" |Individual tournament statistics
|-
!Venue
!Winner
!Winning<br>margin
!Runner-up
!Player of<br>the match
!Most runs
!Highest score
!Most centuries
!Most wickets
!Best Bowling 
!Most [[five-wicket haul]]s
|-
| [[2021 ICC World Test Championship final|2021]]
| {{flagicon|England}} [[Rose Bowl (cricket ground)|Rose Bowl]], [[Southampton]]
| {{cr|NZ}}
| 8 wickets<ref>{{Cite web |title=Full Scorecard of India vs New Zealand Final 2019–2021 – Score Report |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-world-test-championship-2019-2021-1195334/india-vs-new-zealand-final-1249875/full-scorecard |access-date=2021-06-26 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |language=en |archive-date=3 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221003165550/https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-world-test-championship-2019-2021-1195334/india-vs-new-zealand-final-1249875/full-scorecard |url-status=live}}</ref>
| {{cr|IND}}
|[[Kyle Jamieson]]
|[[Marnus Labuschagne]], 1675<ref>{{Cite web |title=ICC World Test Championship, 2019–2021 Cricket Team Records & Stats |url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/batting/most_runs_career.html?id=13202&type=tournament |access-date=2022-01-04 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref>
|[[David Warner (cricketer)|David Warner]], 335*<ref>{{Cite web |title=ICC World Test Championship, 2019–2021 Cricket Team Records & Stats |url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/batting/most_runs_innings.html?id=13202&type=tournament |access-date=2022-01-04 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref>
|[[Marnus Labuschagne]], 5<ref>{{Cite web |title=ICC World Test Championship, 2019–2021 Cricket Team Records & Stats |url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/batting/most_hundreds_career.html?id=13202&type=tournament |access-date=2022-01-04 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref>
|[[Ravichandran Ashwin]], 71<ref>{{Cite web |title=ICC World Test Championship, 2019–2021 Cricket Team Records & Stats |url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/bowling/most_wickets_career.html?id=13202&type=tournament |access-date=2022-01-04 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |archive-date=26 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231026183607/https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/tournament/bowling-most-wickets-career/icc-world-test-championship-2019-2021-13202 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|[[Lasith Embuldeniya]], 7/137<ref>{{Cite web |access-date=19 June 2025 |title=Best bowling figures in an innings For ICC World Test Championship, 2019–2021 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/tournament/bowling-best-figures-innings/icc-world-test-championship-2019-2021-13202 |website=ESPNcricinfo |archive-date=23 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240423062211/https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/tournament/bowling-best-figures-innings/icc-world-test-championship-2019-2021-13202 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|[[Kyle Jamieson]], 5<ref>{{Cite web |title=ICC World Test Championship, 2019–2021 Cricket Team Records & Stats |url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/bowling/most_5wi_career.html?id=13202&type=tournament |access-date=2022-01-04 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref>
|-
|[[2023 ICC World Test Championship final|2023]]
|{{flagicon|England}} [[The Oval]], [[London]]
|{{cr|AUS}}
|209 runs<ref>{{Cite web |title=AUS vs IND Cricket Scorecard, Final at London, June 07–11, 2023 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-world-test-championship-2021-2023-1268315/australia-vs-india-final-1358412/full-scorecard |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250609072138/https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-world-test-championship-2021-2023-1268315/australia-vs-india-final-1358412/full-scorecard |archive-date=9 June 2025 |access-date=2025-06-19 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{cr|IND}}
|[[Travis Head]]<ref name=2023WTC>{{cite web |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/tournament/icc-world-test-championship-2021-2023-14028 |title=Records in ICC World Test Championship, 2021–2023 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=17 June 2023 |archive-date=17 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230617002423/https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/tournament/icc-world-test-championship-2021-2023-14028 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|[[Joe Root]], 1915<ref name=2023WTC/>
|[[Tom Latham (cricketer)|Tom Latham]], 252<ref name=2023WTC/>
|[[Joe Root]], 8<ref name=2023WTC/>
|[[Nathan Lyon]], 88<ref name=2023WTC/>
|[[Ajaz Patel]], 10/119<ref name="2023WTC" />
|[[Nathan Lyon]], 5<ref name=2023WTC/>
|-
|[[2025 ICC World Test Championship final|2025]]
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Lord's]], [[London]]
|{{cr|SA}}
|5 wickets<ref>{{Cite web |title=AUS vs SA Cricket Scorecard, Final at London, June 11–14, 2025 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-world-test-championship-2023-2025-1345943/australia-vs-south-africa-final-1449769/full-scorecard |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250615033644/https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-world-test-championship-2023-2025-1345943/australia-vs-south-africa-final-1449769/full-scorecard |archive-date=15 June 2025 |access-date=2025-06-19 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{cr|AUS}}
|[[Aiden Markram]]
|[[Joe Root]], 1968<ref name=":0"/>
|[[Harry Brook]], 317<ref name=":0" />
|[[Joe Root]], 7<ref name=":0" />
|[[Pat Cummins]], 80<ref name=":0" />
|[[Noman Ali]], 8/46<ref name=":0" />
|[[Pat Cummins]], 6<ref name=":0" />
|-
|[[2027 ICC World Test Championship final|2027]]
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Lord's]], [[London]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/wtc-lord-s-to-host-next-two-world-test-championship-finals-1326293|title=Lord's to host next two WTC finals|website=ESPN Cricinfo|access-date=22 October 2024|archive-date=18 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220818101156/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/wtc-lord-s-to-host-next-two-world-test-championship-finals-1326293|url-status=live}}</ref>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|}

==Popularity==
Supporters of Test cricket, including [[Adam Gilchrist]], argue that it is "the ultimate test of a player's and team's ability".<ref>{{cite web |date=24 June 2009 |title=Adam Gilchrist's Cowdrey Lecture, 2009 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/adam-gilchrist-s-cowdrey-lecture-2009-410365 |access-date=21 December 2008 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |archive-date=26 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226182915/https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/adam-gilchrist-s-cowdrey-lecture-2009-410365 |url-status=live}}</ref> However, it has been suggested that Test cricket may be losing popularity, particularly in the face of competition from [[short form cricket]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/cricket/chris-waters-reports-death-test-cricket-have-been-greatly-exaggerated-126971 |title=Chris Waters – Reports of the death of Test cricket have been greatly exaggerated |work=Yorkshire Post |date=9 February 2019 |access-date=27 August 2021 |quote=According to Shashank Manohar, chairman of the International Cricket Council, Test cricket itself "is dying, to be honest". Details of the funeral arrangements will be announced in due course. "Nowadays, people don’t have five days (of) time to watch a Test match", said Manohar. "From ten to five, everybody has their own job to do, so it is very difficult for them to watch this game. T20s get over in three-and-a-half hours, like watching a movie. Therefore, it is picking up very fast." |archive-date=16 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816043258/https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/cricket/chris-waters-reports-death-test-cricket-have-been-greatly-exaggerated-126971 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Day/night cricket|Day/night Test match]]es  have been suggested as one way to address this problem.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-cricket-australia-mcgrath/australian-mcgrath-backs-day-night-tests-to-revive-popularity-idUKKCN20K24F |title=Australian McGrath backs day-night tests to revive popularity |last=Ganguly |first=Sudipto |work=Reuters |date=26 February 2020 |access-date=27 August 2021 |archive-date=3 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203090534/https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-cricket-australia-mcgrath/australian-mcgrath-backs-day-night-tests-to-revive-popularity-idUKKCN20K24F |url-status=dead}}</ref> The suggested fall in popularity has been disputed, with a 2019 [[Marylebone Cricket Club]] poll showing that 86% of all cricket fans support Test cricket, more than any other format.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lords.org/lords/news-stories/test-cricket-popularity-strong-as-ever-says-mcc-wo |title=Test Cricket Popularity as Strong as Ever Says MCC World Cricket Committee Following MCC Survey |website=lords.org |date=9 March 2019 |access-date=27 August 2021 |quote=Over 13,000 responders from more than 100 countries took part in the survey, with the majority of responders supporting England, India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka. Overwhelmingly, Test cricket came out as the format that interests fans the most, regardless of country supported or age. An average of 86% of the responders placed Test cricket as their preferred format to watch, follow and support over One-Day Internationals, T20 Internationals and domestic T20 matches. |archive-date=21 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921105706/https://www.lords.org/lords/news-stories/test-cricket-popularity-strong-as-ever-says-mcc-wo |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2025, after leading Royal Challengers Bangalore to their maiden Indian Premier League title, Virat Kohli stated that “The IPL marks five levels under Test cricket,” highlighting his belief in Test cricket as the superior format in a nation where the sport holds deep cultural importance.<ref>{{cite web |title="I've given everything that I had for the last 18 years to RCB" – Virat Kohli |url=https://www.iplt20.com/video/63927/ive-given-everything-that-i-had-for-the-last-18-years-to-rcb-virat-kohli |website=iplt20.com |access-date=2025-06-30 |archive-date=17 September 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250917004414/https://www.iplt20.com/video/63927/ive-given-everything-that-i-had-for-the-last-18-years-to-rcb-virat-kohli |url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Cricket}}
* [[List of Test cricket grounds]]
* [[List of Test cricket records]]
* [[Lists of Test cricketers]]
* [[List of cricketers who have played 100 Tests]]
* [[One Day International]]
* [[Twenty20 International]]
{{clear}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

===Bibliography===
*''Ground Rules – A Celebration of Test Cricket'', Barney Spender & David Gower, Dakini Books Ltd (Nov 2003), {{ISBN|0-9537032-6-6}}
*''The Wisden Book of Test Cricket'', Sir Donald Bradman (Foreword), Bill Frindall (Editor), Headline Book Publishing (1995), {{ISBN|0-7472-1118-3}}
*Marylebone Cricket Club (2003), [https://web.archive.org/web/20130311210212/http://www.lords.org/laws-and-spirit/laws-of-cricket/laws/ The Laws of Cricket]. Retrieved 2009-03-30.
*International Cricket Council (2023), [https://images.icc-cricket.com/image/upload/prd/bh9v5ugp7okr877nxzo6.pdf  Standard Test Match Playing Conditions]. Retrieved 2024-03-04.
*{{cite book |last=Wigmore |first=Tim |date=2025 |title= Test Cricket: A History |publisher= Quercus|isbn=978-1529428612 }}

==External links==
*[http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/141605.html Origin of the name "Test"]
*[http://www.cricinfo.com/db/NATIONAL/ICC_MEMBERS/USA/USA_HISTORY.html USA v Canada – The oldest international sporting fixture]

{{Forms of cricket}}
{{International cricket}}
{{Team sports}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Test Cricket}}
[[Category:Test cricket| ]]
[[Category:Cricket terminology]]
[[Category:Sports originating in Australia]]
[[Category:Test matches|Cricket]]