How Cricket’s Tea Break Became a Tradition: The Untold History

Discover how cricket’s famous tea break began, who introduced the tradition, and how it evolved from early Australian and Scottish matches to modern Test cricket. A complete look at the origins, history, and unique culture behind the tea interval.

cricket-tea-break-history-tradition (Image Source: Google)

Recently the tea interval during a day’s play, in a Test, was in the news and it was more than a ‘cup of tea’. Reason was a change in the interval timing during the Barsapara Stadium Test in Guwahati. Due to the geographical location of Guwahati city and India following a single time zone, the lunch and tea intervals were interchanged as well as timing was changed.

For the first time during a day’s play in a Test (except day-night Tests) tea was taken before lunch. Why is tea taken during a day’s play, in first-class matches? Who started this tradition and when? Did you ever realize that cricket is the only sport that incorporates meal breaks? These meal breaks in cricket are now considered not only a necessity but have become a tradition. Quite often, the concentration broken because of the lunch and tea, have changed the complexion of the day’s play.

England might have invented the cricket; tea interval was not introduced by them. In the earlier era the Tests in England were played without a tea break but Australia started this break during the 1881-82 series. When Australia toured England in 1899, the Australia skipper Joe Darling is reported to have suggested a tea-break. England honoured his wish but in a different way. The play was stopped but the cricketers didn’t leave the field, and refreshments were brought out to the players, on the field.

This arrangement continued during the 1902 Ashes, and it was for the first time in 1905, that the players officially went to the pavilion for the ‘tea’. Even then the tradition of taking tea on the field of play, continued for a few years and there are various photographs which confirm this tradition.

There is another theory also with respect to the start of the tradition of taking a cup of tea during a day’s play. Scotland, a non-Test nation, has a rich cricket history. It is believed that at the end of the 19th century, a cup of tea was introduced in Scottish cricket. In May 1892, during a Northumberland vs Glasgow and District match was played at Titwood, Glasgow. The description of this rain affected draw match, finds mention of the tea interval in a cricket match. The cricketers took a cup of tea, in a short break between lunch and close of play during the days of the match. This was the start of a tradition.

Also please note that tea break became a permanent feature of the Test matches and First-Class matches, but an amazing fact is that the tea interval has also been taken during ODIs. In England, tea was taken during 60 overs per side limited over matches (including the first three World Cups). The lunch break was taken during the first innings, and the tea break was taken during the second innings.

This schedule is not followed in the ODIs now, as typically a single, longer interval (around 40-45 minutes) between innings is taken for a meal. The traditional tea interval with snacks and drinks is now primarily a feature of multi-day Test cricket.

With time, the ‘tea’ has not remained a ‘tea’ in a true sense and now hosts are adding variety to the menu, handing over the preparation of the tea to the star chefs. There are many speculations about what players take during the breaks in a Test match. In July 2025, during India’s tour to England, Ollie Pope revealed what he takes during both the breaks. About tea, he said, ‘Some do (prefer taking tea). I normally have coffee with sandwiches.’ In India, chefs serve a spread.