Hours of play in (English) test matches?

Question

I noticed yesterday that 8 overs were added to Saturday's play to make up for the 36 overs that were lost on Friday. Can anyone tell me how this is calculated? As far as I can see, if 18 overs were lost, then 4 overs would be added to the next day if I use the same fraction applied here.

Are we talking about English tradition again or is there a proper reason behind this logic. For instance I would have started play at 10am and stated that 126 overs were to be bowled in the day. By my calculations, play would have still ended at 7.20pm.

Answer 1

There is no way you could physically play anymore than a 100 overs in a day in a test match. Playing 126 overs in a day is extremely unrealistic.

Play doesnt have to finish at 7pm, i have seen matches continue to 8pm before, but playing more than 98/100 overs in 1 day in a test match, is just too demanding for the players. The fairer and more sensible option is to just add 8 overs on to the days play every day, this way the whole overs can be used without affecting the players

Answer 2

Play has to finish before 7pm, regardless of how much time has been lost over the previous days. This is the reason why only 8 overs were added on to Saturday's play, instead of more.

Answer 3

A standard test match consists of 90 overs per day. Depending on weather disruption then a further maximum of 10 overs could be added to compensate for lost play, however this is dependant on the light itself (time of year).  The calculation for additional overs is up to the Umpires and the Players to agree to and is not set down as a rule, nor is there a calculation as such as to lets put on x overs because we lost y overs yesterday, but more of a case if you lost 36 overs on friday then the next 4 days you could be requested to make the overs up.  As for playing 126 overs in a day, although in the past before play become a lot more active and the players a lot more fitter, sometimes a test day could well come up to 100+ overs, but it is now very tiring to the teams to play that many overs, if you calculate you have 126 overs, 4 main bowlers and 1 part time bowler in a squad (about average) each bowler will do a 6 over stint and then have a break and the part time bowler will do 4 at the end of each set that means your strike bowlers will bowl 29 overs each, your back up bowlers 26 each and your part time 16. Now try bowling 174 balls running in and trying to get the ball consistantly on target, travelling between 80 and 90mph, plus inbetween your bowling you may be called upon to race around the outfield as a feilder as well.  Dont forget that this target will rise considerably if your aim is off with extras, or if one of the other bowlers becomes injured or is having a very bad day, or you are having a good day and bowling in the slot.  Now add heat to the equation, if it is a glorious day in the field (to get all 126 overs in) then the problems of fatigue grow.

As a spectator, you may think the game is lovely and easy going, its not until you start plying and getting into the action do you realise how fatigued you are by the end of the day, then of course with a test you may have another 3 or 4 days of the same to go through again.