23. Test Strategy

Test tactics

Inning wise breakdown of test matches
INNINGS WHAT HAPPENS
   
FIRST

Team A wins the toss and elects to bat. They go out and bat for an unlimited number of overs. The innings continues till all 10 wickets of Team A are out OR

Until the captain of Team A feels that he has scored a very good total and it will be difficult for his opposition to chase the score. In this case he declares the innings at a suitable score irrespective of the wickets fallen.

SECOND

Now for the 2nd innings of the match, Team B comes out to play and outscore A. Team B has 3 landmarks to achieve. The first is to get a total of 200 less than Team A's score to avoid the "Follow-On". The next landmark to cross is the opposition's team's score.

Once they do that, they now try to score as many runs above Team A's total. If they score 200+ runs extra, they are in a good position.
THIRD

Assuming that Team B has avoided follow on, Team A bats again. In the 3rd innings, Team A has to try and score as many runs as he can. If he is 'deficient' (i.e. Team B has scored more runs in the 1st innings than his), then he has to knock off those extra runs and attain a large target.

3rd innings
A 268 Difference is 129 runs; so for the 3rd innings he has to make up those 129 run deficiency and then continue ahead.
B 397
FOURTH

Team B now has to chase the target set by A. This target is the sum of A's two innings subtracted by his first innings. e.g.

4th innings
A 268 Team B has to chase 282 runs to win the match (268 + 410) - 397 +1 to win the match.
B 397
A 410

Negative Bowling

A wide ball is called if the ball crosses the batsman about 3 feet (1m) away from the batsman on the offside. This limit is increased in tests.

 If a bowler bowls continuously down the leg-side, then it is called Negative Bowling. In ODI's this is frequently called a wide. A bowler can bowl two bouncers (balls bouncing over the batsman's head) in an over.

The Night Watchman

If the team begins its innings in the tea session (before the close of play for that day - it's a 5 day match remember), a Night Watchman may be sent in to bat. The night-watchman usually bats at # 7 or 8. A night-watchman is usually sent once an opener (# 1/2) gets out.

He is not expected to score many runs. However, he should play defensively and should try not to get out till play ends for that day. Of course, the runs that he scores are bonus to the team.

The function of a night-watchman is to shield the more accomplished players from a charged up bowling attack or fading light.

Results in tests

If on the 2, 3 or 4th day a result is possible (a win), then the winning team can request the umpires to scheduled close of play at the end of the day by 30 minutes. This case does not apply to the 5th day.

ODI games are more batsmen friendly. Tests give both batsmen and bowlers a better deal. That's why it is a called a test between batsmen and bowlers. The time spent in batting is more important than balls faced by batsmen.