THE ICC has laid down a template for the inaugural four-day Test that is set to be played between South Africa and Zimbabwe on Boxing Day.
According to the template, a minimum of 98 overs will be played in a day. The regulation also means that a total of 392 overs could be bowled in the match - only 58 less than is the case in five-day Tests. Another change in the playing rules is that the follow-on has been reduced from 200 runs to 150 runs in order to give a better chance to the teams that play aggressive cricket and aim to force a result.
The three sessions will comprise two hours and fifteen minutes each. Similar to the five-day format, the Lunch time and Tea time are set to be of 40 minutes and 20 minutes respectively. A 30-minute overtime will also be available just like the five-day game.