The Test Match edition was the deluxe version, bringing together the accessories available individually (except the fencing) in the way many football editions did.
Introduced into the range in the 1968/69 season, nearly two years after its 00 scale colleagues the Display and Club sets, the Test Match game was the largest box and the premium priced product in the range.
The only version to have two different sets of batsmen and wicket keepers, the rest of the fielding side were the cap-less outfielders, enabling them to represent either side. The keepers and batsmen were from the individual team sets of England, Australia and West Indies. The Ashes line up appears to have been the most produced, judging by what comes up for sale now, but there are plenty featuring the West Indies too.
The set also features sight screens, a scoreboard, groundmen and four spectators. Common variations are that the bowler’s base, the score determinator, spectators’ deck chairs and groundsmens’ roller handle can all be in green rather than white. A less common variation is that some of the older box design sets featured a bowler in a yellow base.
Despite providing two pairs of batsmen now, the set still had some design flaws. Most notably, the West Indies bowler, batters and keeper still have to team up with 9 white fielders. Only having four spectators, as wonderful as these guys are, is also hardly representative of a major international either!
Test Match edition lasted until the whole cricket range was axed in 1983.
Subbuteo Cricket 