Claim: Cricket has players.

Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket and is considered its highest standard . Test matches are played between national representative teams with `` Test status '' , as determined by the International Cricket Council -LRB- ICC -RRB- . The two teams of 11 players play a four-innings match , which may last up to five days -LRB- or longer in some historical cases -RRB- . It is generally considered the most complete examination of teams ' playing ability and endurance . The name Test stems from the long , gruelling match being a `` test '' of the relative strengths of the two sides .   The first officially recognised Test match began on 15 March 1877 and ended on 19 March 1877 and was played between England and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground -LRB- MCG -RRB- , where Australia won by 45 runs . A Test match to celebrate 100 years of Test cricket was held in Melbourne from 12 to 17 March 1977 , in which Australia beat England by 45 runs -- the same margin as that first Test .   In October 2012 , the International Cricket Council recast the playing conditions for Test matches , permitting day/night Test matches . The first day/night game took place between Australia and New Zealand at the Adelaide Oval , Adelaide , on 27 November 2015 .