There has been scarcity of drawn test matches in last few years. Since World Cup 2015 only 15.26 % drawn test matches. Last year (2018)in 48 tests there were only 5 drawn test matches(5/48 = 10.41%)including two day/night matches.
The advent of day-night test has created an interesting situation for test matches. In 11 test matches, not a single drawn game!.
Cricket’s fourth format – A Test match that is played under-lights using a pink ball is combination of test match and limited over matches. Cricket’s fourth version or fourth format!.
Below is list of matches played under lights –
Stats analysis from above analysis
- Interestingly none of the 11 Test matches were closely fought or had low margin of success.
- 6 Test matches got over with day or more to spare.
- Sri Lanka is the only touring team to win away from home under lights. They won in West Indies(2018) and in UAE v Pakistan(2017).
- In a test match, big scores keeps your opponent in arms distance for most times. Hence a substantial lead (of > 100 runs) in 1st innings is key to winning matches.
- Interestingly there were six 200+ runs 1st inn lead in day/night matches!.
- If your lead is less than substantial, then chances of winning or saving the test is very thin.
- In rare case Sri Lanka happen to win(by 4 wkts) in West Indies after conceding -50 Runs lead.
- Batting in fourth inning is a tough task, hence we finds low scores in last innings of a match. However in 2016 at Brisbane, Pakistan manage to score 450 in 4th inn under lights. This was only the 20th time in history of test cricket a team managed to score 400 in 4th inns. Nevertheless Pakistan lost that test match by 39 runs chasing 490 runs. They had conceded a massive 1st inn lead of 287 runs!.
All data updated at end of 1st Test between Aus v SL at Gabba, 24th Jan 2019
