Logo of no_image_available

Men's Test Match Clause 11: Intervals

11. Intervals

  • 11.1. An interval
    • 11.1.1. The following shall be classed as intervals.
  • The period between close of play on one day and the start of the next day’s play. - Intervals between innings.
  • Intervals for meals.
  • Intervals for drinks.
  • Any other agreed interval.
    • 11.1.2. Only these intervals shall be considered as scheduled breaks for the purposes of clause 24.2.6.

  • 11.2. Duration of intervals

    • 11.2.1. An interval for lunch or tea shall be of the duration detailed below, taken from the call of Time before the interval until the call of Play on resumption after the interval.

      • 11.2.1.1. Lunch Interval: The interval shall be of 40 minutes duration.
      • 11.2.1.2. Tea Interval: The interval shall be of 20 minutes duration.
      • 11.2.1.3. Home Boards, with the consent of the visiting Board, may seek the approval of the ICC to amend the duration of these two intervals, provided the combined scheduled duration of the two intervals shall be equal to 60 minutes.

    • 11.2.2. An interval between innings shall be 10 minutes, commencing from the close of an innings until the call of Play for the start of the next innings. See, however, clauses 11.4, 11.6 and 11.7.

  • 11.3. Allowance for interval between inningsIn addition to the provisions of clauses 11.5 and 11.6,

    • 11.3.1. if an innings ends when 10 minutes or less remains before the time agreed for close of play, or when there are less than 2 overs remaining to complete the minimum over requirement on any day, whichever is applicable, there shall be no further play on that day. No change shall be made to the time for the start of play on the following day on account of the 10 minute interval between innings.
    • 11.3.2. if a captain declares an innings closed during an interruption in play of more than 10 minutes duration, provided that at least 10 minutes remains of the interruption, no adjustment shall be made to the time for resumption of play on account of the 10 minute interval between innings, which shall be considered as included in the interruption. If less than 10 minutes remains of the interruption when the captain declares the innings closed, or forfeits an innings, the next innings shall commence 10 minutes after the declaration or forfeiture is made.
    • 11.3.3. if a captain declares an innings closed during any interval other than an interval for drinks, provided that at least 10 minutes remains of the interval, the interval shall be of the agreed duration and shall be considered to include the 10 minute interval between innings. If less than 10 minutes remains of the interval when the captain declares the innings closed, or forfeits an innings, the interval shall be extended as necessary and the next innings shall commence 10 minutes after the declaration or forfeiture is made.

  • 11.4. Changing agreed times of intervalsIf, at any time during the match,

either playing time is lost through adverse conditions of ground, weather or light or in exceptional circumstances,

or the players have occasion to leave the field other than at a scheduled interval

the time of the lunch interval or of the tea interval may be changed if the two umpires and both captains so agree, providing the requirements of clauses 11.2 and 11.5, 11.6,11.7 and 11.8.3 are not contravened.

  • 11.5. Changing agreed time for lunch interval
    • 11.5.1. If an innings ends when 10 minutes or less remains before the agreed time for lunch, the interval shall be taken immediately. It shall be of the agreed duration and shall be considered to include the 10 minute interval between innings.
    • 11.5.2. If because of adverse conditions of ground, weather or light, or in exceptional circumstances, a stoppage occurs when 10 minutes or less remains before the agreed time for lunch, then, whether or not agreement is reached in the circumstances of clause 11.4, the interval shall be taken immediately. It shall be of the agreed duration. Play shall resume at the end of this interval or as soon after as conditions permit.
    • 11.5.3. If the players have occasion to leave the field for any reason when more than 10 minutes remains before the agreed time for lunch then, unless the umpires and captains together agree to alter it, lunch shall be taken at the agreed time.
  • 11.6. Changing agreed time for tea interval
    • 11.6.1. If an innings ends when 30 minutes or less remains before the agreed time for tea, the interval shall be taken immediately. It shall be of the agreed duration and shall be considered to include the 10 minute interval between innings.
    • 11.6.2. If, when 30 minutes remains before the agreed time for tea, an interval between innings is already in progress, play shall resume at the end of the 10 minute interval, if conditions permit.
    • 11.6.3. If, because of adverse conditions of ground, weather or light, or in exceptional circumstances, a stoppage occurs when 30 minutes or less remains before the agreed time for tea, then unless there is an agreement to change the time for tea, as permitted in clause 11.4, the interval shall be taken immediately. The interval shall be of the agreed duration. Play shall resume at the end of the interval or as soon after as conditions permit.
    • 11.6.4. If a stoppage is already in progress when 30 minutes remains before the agreed time for tea, clause 11.4 shall apply.
  • 11.7. Lunch or tea interval – 9 wickets downFor the lunch interval and for the tea interval

If either, 9 wickets are already down when 3 minutes remains to the scheduled time for the interval,

or, the 9th wicket falls within this 3 minutes, or at any time up to and including the final ball of the over in progress at the scheduled time for the interval,

then the provisions of clause 12.5.2 shall not apply and the interval will not be taken until the end of the over that is in progress 30 minutes after the originally agreed time for the interval, unless the players have cause to leave the field of play or the innings is completed earlier.

For the purposes of this section of the Playing Conditions, the retirement of a batsman is not to be considered equivalent to the fall of a wicket.

  • 11.8. Intervals for drinks

    • 11.8.1. Drinks intervals shall be scheduled. Each interval shall be kept as short as possible and in any case shall not exceed 4 minutes.

      • 11.8.1.1. There shall be one drinks interval during each session of play, scheduled at the mid-point of the session.
      • 11.8.1.2. Under conditions of extreme heat the umpires may permit extra intervals for drinks during each session
      • 11.8.1.3. An individual player may be given a drink either on the boundary edge or at the fall of a wicket, on the field, provided that no playing time is wasted. No other drinks shall be taken onto the field without the permission of the umpires. Any player taking drinks onto the field shall be dressed in proper cricket attire (subject to the wearing of bibs – refer to the note in clause 24.1.4).

    • 11.8.2. A drinks interval shall be taken at the end of the over in progress when the agreed time is reached. If, however, a wicket falls or a batsman retires within 5 minutes of the agreed time then drinks shall be taken immediately.

      No other variation in the timing of drinks intervals shall be permitted except as provided for in clause 11.8.3.

    • 11.8.3. If an innings ends or the players have to leave the field of play for any other reason within 30 minutes of the agreed time for a drinks interval, the umpires and captains together may rearrange the timing of drinks intervals in that session.

    • 11.8.4. Intervals for drinks may not be taken during the last hour of the match, as defined in clause 12.6 (Last hour of match – number of overs). Subject to this limitation, the captains and umpires shall agree the times for such intervals, if any, before the toss and on each subsequent day not later than 10 minutes before play is scheduled to start.

  • 11.9. Agreement to forgo intervalsAt any time during the match, the captains may agree to forgo any of the drinks intervals. The umpires shall be informed of the decision.
    When play is in progress, the batsmen at the wicket may deputise for their captain in making an agreement to forgo a drinks interval in that session.
  • 11.10. Scorers to be informed

The umpires shall ensure that the scorers are informed of all agreements about hours of play and intervals and of any changes made thereto as permitted under this clause.