Why Black Caps-Sri Lanka will feature a rest day

The Black Caps and Sri Lanka will have a rest day in the middle of the opening test in Galle starting this week, due to the Sri Lankan presidential election.

The opening test starts on Wednesday afternoon NZT but Saturday will be a rest day, with the players returning to action on days four and five. The match is the opening game of a two-test series as part of the World Test Championship.

The last time a cricket test featured a rest day was in 2008, when Bangladesh parliamentary elections delayed a match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. In that test, Thilan Samaraweera was bowled just before stumps on day three, with Mahela Jayawardene on 129 not out and next batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan having to wait a full day before beginning his innings.

Sri Lanka last hosted a six-day test against Zimbabwe in Colombo in 2001 due to Poya Day (full moon).

Sunday was traditionally a rest day for test matches until the first play on a Sunday in England in 1981, while rest days continued to be a feature into the mid-1990s.

The second test between the Black Caps and Sri Lanka, also in Galle, will be a regular five-day test.

Black Caps v Sri Lanka, first test schedule

Day 1 - Wednesday 4.30pm
Day 2 - Thursday 4.30pm
Day 3 - Friday 4.30pm
Day 4 - Sunday 4.30pm
Day 5 - Monday 4.30pm

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission