England Batsman Joe Root has questioned the cut-off times in Test cricket. He pointed out that in the summer it gets dark around 10pm, so why can’t teams complete the full quota of 90 overs in one day?
Joe Root’s comment came after the amount of time lost due to rain and time limits in the ongoing 2023 fourth Test of the Ashes at Old Trafford in Manchester. Day 4 and Day 5 of the game have been really frustrating for both England and Australia.
The rain gods have not been kind to the England team who have dominated Australia in the game and are on the verge of winning. As well as rain playing killjoys, 26 overs were lost during the game in the first three days due to slow rates. It’s fair to say that if these overs had been completed, we could have gotten the result.
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A day in Test cricket sees 90 overs, but if these are not completed by 6pm an extra half hour is added to make up for the loss of overs. But even if the overs are not taken in extra time, the overs that are not bowled are forfeited, which indeed makes a big difference.
Joe Root questioned the cut-off time and while speaking on the BBC’s Test match special, explained: “Here in England it doesn’t get dark until 10pm in the summer, why can’t we play until we finish the overs?”
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Joe Root went on to say that there are many ways to complete the full 90 overs. He has made calls for flexibility in the playing schedule to ensure overs are not missed. He explained:
“There has been a lot of talk about not bowling the overs. There are so many different ways to try to find opportunities to play as much as possible. At every opportunity, at every stage, you need to look for ways to test yourself. We batted worse at Edgbaston, but that’s cricket. You just want consistency in those conditions.”
A drawn fourth Test will mean Australia retain the Ashes. England produced a magnificent performance in the current game and are in the driving seat, but things are not going as expected.
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