This day and age, cricket fans are in for a nostalgic treat. Sri Lanka is gearing up to host New Zealand next month, with the inclusion of a “rest day” in a test match series that includes two tests. Since the first Test in Galle starts on September 18th, 2024, it will add a rest day on September 21st, 2024, because of the presidential election of Sri Lanka.
History – Rest Days
Rest days, once a regular feature of Test cricket, were usually witnessed in games in England where the game used to have six day Test matches with Sunday off. The occurrence though has fallen rapidly in recent times.Â
Let’s glance at the recent instances of a test match having a rest day.
Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe, 2001
The last test match played in Sri Lanka that had a rest day was in Colombo in 2001 against Zimbabwe. The Test, which ran from December 27 to January 1, had December 30 off as a rest day for Poya Day, which is a full moon holiday in Sri Lanka. Despite the extra day off, Sri Lanka cruised to an innings and 166-run victory as the Zimbabweans collapsed.
Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka, 2008
The last time a rest day was taken during a Test match was in Dhaka in 2008. Bangladesh was hosting Sri Lanka when a rest day was taken on December 29 because of a parliamentary election.
New Zealand vs Pakistan, 2014
2014 saw another unscheduled rest day in a test match between Pakistan and New Zealand, who were playing in Sharjah when news reached them of the tragic death of Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes. The match resumed the next day. Pakistan eventually lost by an innings and 80 runs.
As Sri Lanka and New Zealand prepare to face each other, having a rest day would definitely bring back memories of cricket’s traditional format and add a unique twist to the upcoming fixtures.
The Sportz Planet Desk,
Atharva Shetye
