Editing Test cricket (section)

===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 1st 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}}</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 [[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>