How a Test Match Is Won, Drawn or Tied: The Possible Results
Learn how a Test match ends: winning by runs, wickets or an innings, why many finish as draws, and how rare a true tie is in the sport’s history.
The basics
A Test match is played over up to five days, with each team batting up to twice. To win, a side must score more runs than its opponents and dismiss them in each of their innings in the time available. A result therefore depends on both runs and time.
Winning by runs
A team wins by runs when the side batting last is bowled out while still short of the target. The margin is the difference between the two sides’ total runs. For example, if the target was 300 and the chasing team is all out for 250, the winning side wins by 49 runs.
Winning by wickets
A team wins by wickets when it chases a target successfully. The margin is the number of wickets it had left. A win by seven wickets means seven batters had not been dismissed when the target was reached.
Winning by an innings
A team wins by an innings when its first-innings total exceeds the opponents’ two innings combined. In that case, the winning side bats only once and the match ends when the other side is dismissed a second time. The margin is expressed as an innings and a number of runs.
The draw
A draw occurs when time runs out before the match reaches a result. For instance, the fifth day can end with the team batting last still behind, but not all out. Rain, bad light or slow scoring can all contribute. Draws are an accepted part of the longer format and often involve tense final sessions as one team attempts to hold on.
Some matches finish as draws even after much close play, which is part of why the format is valued by many supporters of the game.
The tie
A tie is different from a draw. It happens only when the scores are level and the side batting last has been dismissed. This has happened only twice in Test history, as of the end of 2024: between Australia and the West Indies in Brisbane in 1960, and between Australia and India in Madras in 1986.
Because it requires exact equality, a tie is very rare. A match that ends with scores level but the team batting last still having wickets in hand is a draw, not a tie.
Other points
Weather and bad light can shorten matches. Umpires may stop play, and lost time can reduce the chance of a result. Captains therefore consider how to use the remaining overs. The closing session of a Test often sees one team trying for a win and the other hanging on for a draw.
Frequently asked questions
How many ways can a Test end?
There are three kinds of outcome: a win (by runs, wickets or an innings), a draw, or a tie.
What is the difference between a draw and a tie?
A draw means time ran out; a tie means scores were exactly level with the team batting last all out.
How many Tests have been tied?
Two as of the end of 2024: Brisbane 1960 (Australia v West Indies) and Madras 1986 (Australia v India).