By Gia Huynh 
Okay, so last weekend, I totally blanked during a Test match about lunch timings. My cricket buddy asked when they’d resume after lunch, and I froze up like a deer in headlights. Pathetic, right? For a guy who practically breathes cricket stats, that stung. So, I decided to end the confusion once and for all – here’s what went down.
The Confusion Phase
First, I pulled up last year’s Ashes highlights – England vs. Australia at Lord’s. Skipped straight to mid-day. Boom – players walked off around 1 PM UK time. But hang on… was that universal? Had to dig deeper.
Playing Sherlock with Schedules
Scrolled through official match schedules from different countries like a madman:
- England: Games start 11 AM. Lunch slide: 1:00 PM local time for 40 minutes. Always.
- Australia: Morning session kicks off 10:30 AM. Lunch at 12:30 PM sharp (also 40 mins).
- India: Early start at 9:30 AM? Then lunch hits roughly 12:00 PM. Felt chaotic till I realized sessions split play equally.
Tracked it live during WI vs South Africa last month – clock hit 12 PM Caribbean time, players vanished. Nailed it.
The “Aha!” Moment
Realized lunch ain’t about the clock hour. It’s about session breaks. Most Tests split the day into three chunks: Morning → Lunch → Afternoon → Tea → Evening. Lunch wedges between the first two sessions regardless of start time. Mind blown – so simple!
Handy Cheat Sheet I Scribbled Down
Made myself a dumb little reference:
- 🗓️ Session 1: Roughly 2 hours play
- 🥪 Lunch Break: 40 minutes (mandatory!)
- ⏰ Timing Varies: Depends on local start time. Noon-ish? Usually 12-1 PM.
Tested it during NZ vs Sri Lanka last week – predicted lunch within 5 mins. Felt like a wizard.
Why Bother?
Sounds trivial, but knowing this stops you from:
- 🤯 Missing session resumes after grabbing snacks
- 😡 Yelling “WHY AREN’T THEY PLAYING?!” at your TV
Plus? Now I smugly answer cricket trivia like a boss. Lunch breaks = cricket’s punctual pit stops. You’re welcome.
Dung Huynh 