Why test cricket rules

Written by Jaideep

Saturday, 16 December 2006

India vs South Africa 1st Test
Australia vs England 3rd Test
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 2nd Test

Two unbelievable performances in test matches in Australia and South Africa, with vastly varying results for the home teams. Australia, very overwhelmingly came close to winning the Ashes back as it pulverized an unimaginative England – with Gilchrist retaining his touch and blasting the second-fastest century of all time. And India, wonder of wonders, produced its greatest medium pace/ swing bowling performance abroad, as it blew away a dazed South Africa for 84. Both matches exemplified the irresistible drama of test cricket at its best.

India’s performance against South Africa was the more unexpected one. The batsmen applied themselves very well yesterday on a treacherous wicket, even though 151-5 seemed fragile. Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman and finally Ganguly all fought hard and got starts. Ganguly carried on to an unbeaten 50, and his grit and application has “Great Indian Comeback” written all over it. He was lucky, but any batsman would deserve a dose of fortune on these pitches. And clichés like whom that fickle lady favours are not misplaced in everyday life. In fact, he is batt(l)ing like the pre-2004 Ganguly, better, pre-2001 Ganguly, when batting was the end-all of his life. It looks like his mind is clearer, having rid itself of captaincy pre-occupations and insecurity politics, and that augurs well for the third part of his career – purely as a batsman again, but a more experienced, wiser one. If he can keep this intensity going, there’s no doubt that he’ll be back in the one-day team too.

And then the bowlers – particularly Sreesanth. The discipline, the accuracy and the intensity – finally they led to long-awaited results. SA 84 all out – their lowest score ever against India, conceding a lead of 165 – almost certainly a match-winning one in these conditions. It was great to see Laxman at his best too, and his unbeaten 41 has been a gem so far. A lead of 311, with 5 wickets in hand – unless SA craft one of the greatest comebacks ever, India will have their first test win in South Africa soon. One thing’s for sure – the greatest Indian batting line-up is back in action (and it’s playing at only 50% strength efficiency). And the series is set up, with the Indians reminding everyone of their 2003-2004 Australian tour (Shit, we should have won that – bloody Parthiv!)

And, even before that, Australia would probably have won the Ashes. Gilchrist’s hurricane batting has pretty much put the issue beyond doubt now. The English have basically been beaten in the mind – humiliated, rather. Who can say they didn’t thoroughly deserve it?

SL look like beating NZ too in the second test match, and Pakistan beat WI in the one-day series at home 3-1 today. Good day for Asian cricket, but it’s the unpredictable, high-intensity, high quality test cricket that stands out. ODI cricket is so palpably limited not only in name, but in scope.

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