DoG's Test Innings and Bowling Performances. Updates thread.

[AndrewB]

All Tests in Australia were timeless until WW2. There were a couple of draws when the visitors had a boat to catch.

Charles Davis's database basically confirms this: for the 1881-2 series (in which the first and last Tests were drawn) it says the matches were "Advertised as timeless but effectively limited to four days". Apparently the England team toured New Zealand between the first two Tests. Presumably the itineraries in later series had more leeway.

The timeless Tests in SA were in 1923 and 1939 (the infamous 10-day Test); the SA v Eng series in 1927-8 and 1930-1 evidently didn't end with a timeless Test even though neither series was decided by then. The WI one was in 1930.

I had the impression that the final Test in 1930 was made timeless because the series at that point was *level* rather than just undecided - I thought I'd read that if England had hung on for a draw in the 1930 Lord's Test, they'd have drawn the Oval Test (which didn't end until the 5th day, partly because of wet weather) and won the series. (I can't remember where I read this, and haven't managed to confirm or refute this claim since).

 

[peterhrt]

I had the impression that the final Test in 1930 was made timeless because the series at that point was *level* rather than just undecided - I thought I'd read that if England had hung on for a draw in the 1930 Lord's Test, they'd have drawn the Oval Test (which didn't end until the 5th day, partly because of wet weather) and won the series. (I can't remember where I read this, and haven't managed to confirm or refute this claim since).

This is possible since the timeless final Tests of 1926, 1930 and 1934 all occurred when the series were level. But in 1938 England were one down and came back to level the series in the final timeless Test. Wisden says of the 1934 match: Each side having won once with two games left drawn, the fifth and concluding Test match was entered upon without any restrictions as to the time involved in reaching a definite result.

1912 was an odd one. Going into the final match of the Triangular Tournament at The Oval, England had three wins and Australia two, all against South Africa. Every other game had been drawn. It was however decided at the last minute that the winner of a timeless match between England and Australia would win the overall competition - on a head-to-head basis. In the event England won the match anyway.