How Many Overs are Bowled in a Test Match?

You must be aware that a T20 match involves 40 overs, while an ODI match can have 100 overs. But many don’t know the number of overs that can be delivered in the longest format — Test Cricket.

Though there is no exact answer to this query, a minimum of 450 overs may be bowled over the course of 5 days of play in Tests.

In this article, we’ll breakdown the number of overs bowled in a Test match.

How Many Overs are Bowled in a Day of a Test Match?

A Test match is played over 5 days, earning it the tag of the longest format of the game.

Now, a day’s play lasts for 6 hours, with a minimum requirement of completing 90 overs throughout the day. If we take the minimum criteria into account, then a Test match can see 450 overs bowled over 5 days.

However, the number might vary based on how the match progresses. Suppose a bowling team finishes the 90 overs requisite with 15 minutes to stumps. In this case, they can continue to bowl until the day’s play ends.

Moreover, other factors, like weather disruptions, may alter the number of overs delivered. Further, the session timings might as well change to compensate for the loss of overs and time.

If there is an innings change during a day, then 2 overs are docked from the minimum required overs. This rule won’t apply if the innings change takes place at the stroke of lunch, tea, or when the play is suspended.

How Many Overs are Bowled in a Session of a Test Match?

The single day is further divided into 3 sessions, with each lasting for a minimum of 2 hours. Between the 3 sessions, there are 2 breaks — lunch (day) / dinner (day-night) and tea — which contribute to 1 hour outside of the playing hours.

The 90 overs scheduled to be bowled in a day are divided into 30 overs per session. That comes down to 15 overs per hour, which is the minimum over rate teams need to follow.

If the bowling team fails to maintain the over rate, then the match referee may impose a penalty on the captain and players.

What Happens if the Minimum Required Overs are Not Bowled in a Day?

Even after the 6 hours of play, if 90 overs are not completed, umpires can extend the day’s play by 30 minutes.

Furthermore, if the umpires think that the match is on the verge of producing a result, then the final session can be extended further by 30 minutes, except on the last day.