Main Page | See live article | Alphabetical index First-class cricket is a term for cricket matches of at least three days length, either involving international teams, or the highest division of domestic competition. The game is conducted similarly to Test cricket, though usually of a maximum length of 3 or 4 days rather than the 5 of Test cricket (though a few are). (Technically, Test Cricket is a form of first-class cricket. However, the term "first class" is usually used to refer to domestic competition only.) Around the world, these teams are usually representative of internal political divisions - for instance, Australia's domestic first-class competition is between state representative teams. Due to the time demands of such a competition (the matches cannot be played on weekends, for instance) first-class cricketers are mostly paid professionals. As well as domestic competition, it is typical for international teams touring another country to play warm-up first-class matches against domestic teams. However, with the increasing schedule of international players and consequent more tightly-scheduled tours, the number of such one-off games is decreasing. According to the International Cricket Council, a match is first class if: It is of three or more days scheduled duration Each side playing the match has eleven players The match is played on natural, and not artificial, turf The match is played on an international standard ground The match conforms to the Laws of Cricket, except for only minor amendments The Board of cricket in the appropriate nation or the International Cricket Council recognizes the match as first-class. A Test Match is a first class match played between two Full Member countries given the status of a Test match-playing nation by the International Cricket Council, following the Playing Conditions for Test Matches established by the International Cricket Council, and following various other regulations. The following matches or competitions are also recognized as first-class by the appropriate Boards of Cricket, providing the above regulations are met: United Kingdom and Ireland County Championship matches Marylebone Cricket Club versus a first class county Oxford versus Cambridge Cambridge, Durham, and Oxford University Centres of Cricketing Excellence matches versus first class counties Scotland versus Ireland A first class team versus a touring first class team Australia Pura Cup matches. Australia 'A' versus Australian XI Australia 'A' versus first class opponents, including State teams Australian XI versus first class opponents, including State teams A first class team versus a touring first class team South Africa Super Sport Series matches A first class team versus a touring first class team West Indies Red Stripe Cup matches A first class team versus a touring first class team India Ranji Trophy matches Duleep Trophy matches Irani Trophy matches A State or regional associations versus another state or regional association, provideed the associations are affiliated to the Board of Control for Cricket in India A first class team versus a touring first class team New Zealand State Championship matches New Zealand 'A' versus a Cricket association, provided the association is affiliated to New Zealand Cricket A cricket association versus another cricket association, provided that the associations are affiliated to New Zealand Cricket New Zealand 'A' versus a first class opponent A cricket association versus a first class opponent, provided the association is affiliated to New Zealand Cricket A first class team versus a touring first class team Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Trophy matches Super League matches Cricket Associations and Departments (corporate teams) verus each other, or other first class opponents, provided the associations or departments are affiliated to the Pakistan Cricket Board, and the match is organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board Pakistan 'A' versus a touring Test team or Kenya Pakistan versus a touring 'A' team from a Test country or Kenya Paksitan 'A' versus a touring 'A' team from a Test country or Kenya A first class team versus a touring first class team Sri Lanka Premier League (Division I) Matches Sri Lanka 'A' (or another team designated by the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka) versus a touring 'A' team A first class team versus a touring first class team Zimbabwe Logan Cup Matches A cricket association versus another cricket association, provided the associations are affiliated to the Zimbabwe Cricket Union A first class team versus a touring first class team Kenya (Not a Test Team) A first class team (including touring Test teams) versus Kenya Other Non-Test Full Member Countries Non-Test Full Member Country versus a first class touring team, with the consent of the touring team Official Test Trial matches. Special matches between teams adjudged first class by the Board(s) of cricket concerned, with the approval of the International Cricket Council Notes: A first class opponent is a team recognized as first class in its home country, and includes foreign touring Test teams (some first class teams are not entitled to play first class matches in other countries; such determinations are made by the local Board of cricket) The 'A' Team and the 'XI' Team are the representatives of a nation subordinate to the Test team, and are not always adjudged first class Table of contents 1 First class domestic teams 1.1 Australia 1.2 Bangladesh 1.3 England and Wales 1.4 India 1.5 New Zealand 1.6 Pakistan 1.7 South Africa 1.8 Sri Lanka 1.9 West Indies 1.10 Zimbabwe First class domestic teams Australia New South Wales Northern Territory Queensland South Australia Tasmania Western Australia Victoria Bangladesh Barisal Chittagong Dhaka Khulna Rajshahi Sylhet England and Wales The eighteen major counties (listed below) are divided into two divisions. In each division the teams play each other twice, both home and away. The bottom and top teams of the first and second divisions respectively are relegated and promoted at the end of the season. Most other counties are minor counties and play in their own competition. Derbyshire Durham Essex Glamorgan - the only Welsh major county. Gloucestershire Hampshire - "Hants" Kent Lancashire Leicestershire Middlesex Northamptonshire - "Northants" Nottinghamshire - "Notts" Somerset Surrey Sussex Warwickshire Worcestershire Yorkshire India Andhra Assam Baroda Bengal Bihar Delhi Gujarat Haryana Himachal Pradesh Hyderabad Jammu and Kashmir Karnataka Kerala Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra Mumbai Orissa Punjab Railways Rajasthan Saurashtra Services Tamil Nadu Tripura Uttar Pradesh Vidharba New Zealand Auckland Canterbury Central Districts Northern Districts Otago Wellington Pakistan The domestic teams may either be city teams, government service teams, or corporate teams. Some cities have two teams; in this case, the second team is named the "Blues." Sargodha Lahore Lahore Blues Faisalabad Sheikhupura Karachi Karachi Blues Bahawalpur Dadu Sialkot Gujranwala Rawalpindi Peshawar Pakistan International Airlines Allied Bank National Bank of Pakistan Agricultural Development Bank of Pakistan Pakistan Customs Water and Power Development Authority Khan Research Labs Habib Bank Limited Sui Gas Corporation of Pakistan Pakistan Public Works Department Service Industries South Africa Boland Border Easterns Eastern Province Free State Gauteng Griqualand West KwaZulu-Natal Maritzburg Northerns North West Western Province Sri Lanka Air Force Sports Club Bloomfield Burgher Chilaw Marians Colombo Colts Galle Kurunegala Moratuwa Nondescripts Cricket Club (Note: Due to recent structural changes, many teams were eliminated or amalgamated into the Nondescripts Club) Panadura Ragama Sebastianites Sinhalese Sports Club Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club West Indies Barbados Guyana Jamaica Leeward Islands Trinidad and Tobago Windward Islands Zimbabwe Mashonaland Manicaland Matabeleland Midlands This article is from Wikipedia. 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