How many overs are bowled in a day of Test cricket?
I · Intermediate · How does a match work, and how is it won? · 19 of 19At least 90 overs a day, in six hours of play. If the overs are not done by the scheduled close, play goes on for up to 30 minutes more. On the last day, at least 15 overs are bowled in the final hour. Overs not bowled are not made up on later days.
How it works
- Minimum overs drop by one for every full four minutes lost when more than an hour is lost to weather or light.
- Lost time can be made up: up to an hour on the same day and up to 30 minutes added to each following day.
- A change of innings during a session takes two overs off the day's minimum.
- On the last day: at least 75 overs before the last hour, then at least 15 in the last hour. The captains can agree to end the match early if neither side can win.
- If a result is close, either captain can ask for 30 extra minutes (at least 8 overs) at the end of a day, or 15 minutes at lunch or tea; the umpires agree only if a result is likely.
- The scoreboard shows the overs left in the day.
Tricky cases
What happens if 90 overs have not been bowled by close of play?
Play goes on for up to 30 minutes. Overs still not bowled are lost.
Why did play continue past the scheduled close?
Either the minimum overs were not yet done, lost time was being made up or extra time was granted for a likely result.
What is the "last hour"?
The final hour of the last day, in which at least 15 overs must be bowled whatever the time.
Why the rule exists
A minimum number of overs protects the batting side and the spectators from slow play, and gives the match time to reach a result.
Where it differs
The Laws leave hours and minimum overs to the teams' agreement; the figures above are the ICC men's Test playing conditions (PC-T 12.7, 12.8).
From the rule book
ICC men's Test playing conditions, clauses 12.6 to 12.9, October 2026. Checked 13 October 2026. Official document: ICC playing conditions (PDF).