As world is getting advanced, International Cricket Council (ICC) too has decided to experiment with old fashioned Test cricket, as the regulatory authority of the game has given official status to four-day Test match.

A minimum of 98 overs will be played on each day of the four-day Test, which will be played between South Africa and Zimbabwe starting later this month in Port Elizabeth.

The African neighbours will play the first test match, shortened by one day, from December 26, with ICC granting it official status and welcoming countries to experiment with the format.

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In a regular Test, a minimum of 90 overs must be bowled per day, so play will be extended for an extra 30 minutes to accommodate the additional eight overs.

Test matches, the game´s oldest format, have witnessed a steady decline in attendances in recent years, throwing the door open to a number of novel means to engage fans, including the introduction of day-night tests.

The format has come in for stiff competition from the game´s newer, shorter formats, such as Twenty20 internationals and domestic leagues across the globe.

Officials and former players have acknowledged the need to make tests four-day affairs instead of five, hoping it would help them become more viewer friendly.