Balls Per Over in Cricket

TEST CRICKET

In England:
  4       1880    to 1888
  5       1890    to 1899
  6       1902    to 1938
  8       1939
  6       1946    to date

In Australia:
  4       1876-77 to 1887-88
  6       1891-92 to 1920-21
  8       1924-25
  6       1928-29 to 1932-33
  8       1936-37 to 1978-79
  6       1979-80 to date

In South Africa:
  4       1888-89
  5       1891-92 to 1898-99
  6       1902-03 to 1935-36
  8       1938-39 to 1957-58
  6       1961-62 to date

In West Indies:
  6      1929-30 to date

In New Zealand:
  6       1929-30 to 1967-68
  8       1968-69 to 1978-79
  6       1979-80 to date

In India:
  6       1933-34 to date

In Pakistan:
  6       1954-55 to 1972-73
  8       1974-75 to 1977-78
  6       1978-79 to date

In Sri Lanka:
  6       1981-82 to date

In Zimbabwe:
  6       1992-93 to date

ALL FIRST CLASS CRICKET 

(Up to 1974. Please contact Cricinfo if you can supply
 details since that year.)

In England:
 pre-1889            4 balls (Possibly a match in 1840s was 5)
 1889  to  1899      5 balls
 1900  to  1938      6 balls
 1939                8 balls
 1945  to  date      6 balls

In Australia:
 1850/51 to 1886/87  4 balls Except for: 
                              Vic v Tas 1870/71 6 balls
                              SA  v Vic 1883/84 6 balls)
 1887/88             4 balls (SA  v Vic; NSW v Vic)
                     6 balls (Vic v NSW)
 1888/89             4 balls (Vic v NSW; Aus v NSW; SA v Vic)
                     6 balls (NSW v Vic; Vic v Tas; Vic v SA; 
                               Aus v Rest)
 1889/90 to 1914/15  6 balls Except for:
                              NSW v Sheffield's XI 
                               (2 matches) 1891/92 (5 balls)
                              1898: 5 balls Tas v Vic; NSW v Tas
 1918/19 to 1973/74  8 balls Except for:
                              All MCC first-class matches on the
                               1920/21 tour (6 balls)
                              Vic v MCC, March 1929 (6 balls)
                              Aus v Eng Tests 1928/29 (6 balls)
                              Aus v WI  Tests 1930/31 (6 balls)
                              Aus v SA  Tests 1931/31 (6 balls)
                              Aus v Eng Tests 1932/33 (6 balls)
 1979-80 to date     6 balls

In South Africa:
 1888/89             4 balls
 1889/90 to 1898/99  5 balls
 1902/03 to 1936/37  6 balls
 1937/38 to 1957/58  8 balls
 1958/59 to 1973/74  6 balls

 
In West Indies:
 1864/65 to 1899/00  5 balls Except for:
                              Barbados v Demarera 1871/72 
                               (Bar 6 balls, Dem 5 balls)
 1900/01 to 1937/38  6 balls
 1938/39             8 balls Except for:
                              Combined Universities tour 
                               (6 balls)
 1940/41 to 1946/47  8 balls
 1947/48             6 balls Except for:
                              British Guyana v Jamaica (8 balls)
 1948/49 to 1949/50  6 balls
 1950/51             8 balls (British Guyana v Jamaica)
                     6 balls (Trinidad v Barbados)
 1951/52 to 1973/74  6 balls

In New Zealand:
 1859/60 to 1894/95  4, 5, or 6 balls
 1895/96             6 balls
 1896/97             6 balls Except for:
                              Otago v Canterbury (5 balls)
 1897/98 to 1917/18  6 balls
 1918/19 to 1926/27  8 balls
 1927/28 to 1936/37  6 balls
 1937/38 to 1943/44  8 balls
 1944/45 to 1966/67  6 balls
 1967/68             6 balls Except for:
                              Canterbury v NZ XI (8 balls)
 1968/69 to 1978/79  8 balls
 1979/80 to date     6 balls

In India:
 1889/90 to 1899/00  5 balls
 1900/01 to 1945/46  6 balls
 1946/47             6 balls Except for:
                              Zonal Quadrangular (8 balls)
                              India v Rest (8 balls)
 1947/48             6 balls Except for:
                              Maharashtra P&P v Rest (8 balls)
 1948/49 to 1960/61  6 balls
 1961/62             6 balls Except for:
                              Duleep Trophy (8 balls)
 1962/63             8 balls
 1963/64 to date     6 balls

In North America:
 1878/79 to 1886/87  4 balls
 1891/92 to 1896/97  5 balls
 1897/98 to 1913/14  6 balls
 1951/52             8 balls

Taken from postings in r.s.c. by Aslam Siddiqui 
                             and Peter Griffiths

<END> Contributed by Travis (travis@jolt.mpx.com.au)