Sri Lanka Cricket Board
SL vs NZ: The old tradition has returned to Test cricket. Now the Test match will be played for 6 days instead of 5 days. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) recently announced the schedule of its upcoming Test series against New Zealand, in which a rest day has been included during the first Test match. In this way, the old tradition will be seen once again in Test cricket. In the old times, the Test match used to be of 6 days in which one day was kept as a rest day. However, with the passage of time, this tradition was abolished. Now once again the rest day has returned to Test cricket.
Sri Lanka will host New Zealand for a two-match Test series next month. What makes this series particularly notable is that it includes a rest day during the first Test in Galle from September 18 to 23. The reason behind the rest day being September 21 is the presidential election in Sri Lanka.
A unique sight will be seen after 16 years
The six-day Test match is a throwback to the days when cricket was enjoyed with ease, especially in England, where Sunday was often a day off. The last time Sri Lanka hosted a Test with a rest day was more than two decades ago in 2001 against Zimbabwe. That time it was Poya Divas, a full-moon holiday in the country. The most recent instance when a rest day was implemented was in 2008 when Bangladesh hosted Sri Lanka in Dhaka due to parliamentary elections.
The series will be played in Galle
This 2-match Test series between Sri Lanka and New Zealand will be an important series for both the teams in view of the ICC World Test Championship. Both the teams are in a good position in the WTC points table. Sri Lanka is at third place while New Zealand is at fourth place. Both the Test matches of this series will be played at the beautiful Galle International Stadium, which is known for its spin-friendly conditions. The second Test will be played from 26 to 30 September with no rest day.
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