Rest day returns as Sri Lanka announce schedule for New Zealand Test series

The schedule for Sri Lanka's upcoming Test series has been confirmed, with the opening match set to be played across six days.

Sri Lanka have announced the schedule for next month's Test series against New Zealand, with the opening Test in Galle to feature a rest day due to a political election.

The two-match series will form a part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship cycle and the first Test that commences on 18 September will be played across six days, with a rest day set for 21 September 'owing to the Presidential Election of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka'.

It will be the first time in more than 20 years that Sri Lanka have been scheduled to host a Test across six days, with their match against Zimbabwe in Colombo in 2001 also including a rest day due to Poya Day (full moon) in the island nation.

Rest days were regular commodities in Test cricket last century, with many matches in England played across six days and often featuring a day without any play on a Sunday.

The most recent Test with a rest day was in Dhaka in 2008 when Bangladesh's opening match of their series against Sri Lanka included a rest day on 29 December because of a parliamentary election.

Both Test matches during the upcoming series will be played in Galle, with Sri Lanka and New Zealand currently sitting in third and fourth place respectively on the World Test Championship standings.

• Series schedule:

First Test: September 18-23, Galle
Second Test: September 26-30, Galle