Ian Botham's Test Match is a one or two player cricketing game that can be played using a keyboard or a joystick. There are three game modes, a limited over game, a one day match or a test match, each option taking progressively longer to complete. The player can choose between the 'armchair cricket' mode where the game supplies names for all team members, or the 'personal team selection' mode where the player enters their own teams names. At the start of the game the player is presented a cricket pitch, on which the bowler, the wicket keeper together and two opposing batsmen are already positioned. The player then positions nine fielders around the pitch ready for the first over. Fielders are placed by moving the fielder icon around the pitch with the arrow keys and pressing 'Fire' when the player is in the correct position.