Test Cricket

For those who may not be aware, Australia is currently playing New Zealand in the first test in Brisbane.

There's been a lot written by the commentariat recently about test cricket and the failings of the Australian test team and it's captain. A lot of this bloviating has focussed on the lack of 'entertainment' provided by the team whilst in India. A lot of the complaints seem to be specifically targetted at the fact that a) we didn't win and b) we didn't hit enough boundaries, this seemingly being the only worthwhile measure of value left in international cricket.

Who knows what they're going to say about the current test. Australia just a minute ago lost its last wicket in its second innings. The top scorer was Simon Katich, not out on 131, while the second top score was from Johnson, who scored 31 batting at number 10 (I think it is quite safe to say that Mitchell Johnson is not a recognised batsman). All the other batsmen failed dismally in their efforts to make the slightest impression on the bowling or the scoreboard.

Yet even though the previous two days have featured similar scenarios, when the two Australians walked off it was quite obvious to see that there were lots of people there to watch. Not the 10 on the boundary that never get seen except in close up so we can't tell there are 15000 empty seats behind them, I saw packed stands and people standing and cheering for the Australians.

What does this tell you? It tells me that test cricket is a game of ebb and flow, a game of mental strength and toughness, a game that is often lost, rather than won. And it tells me that people are interested in seeing that. Who cares if you can hit 20 boundaries in 50 balls on a pitch that completely favours the batsman with a boundary rope 10 metres in from the fence?

Test cricket needs to recognise that pitches should favour the bowlers, not the batsmen. Does anyone really care that Matthew Hayden has the highest score ever recorded in a test? I know I don't. A pitch that suits batsman against a side like Bangladesh is not the record that stirs the hearts of men.

What really gets people excited is bowlers doing their best to get wickets, trying their hardest to limits runs, straining their utmost to provoke a mistake that will open up an opportunity and lead to victory. And do you think Australian fans are going to look at the current innings and complain that there weren't enough boundaries? They're going to recognise the determination and mental toughness of Katich and his 171, a score immeasurably more valuable because it stands next to the failure of the other batsmen.

We live in a new era, with no Gilchrist, no Warne, no McGrath. Off course Australia is going to struggle to win. But we have to play TEST cricket if we want to win TEST matches. Cricket Australia needs to wake up, smell the boredom and accept the fact that test cricket needs wickets that suit bowlers, not batsmen.

When the spectacle that is 20/20 is played, let them favour the batsmen, but lets not get confused between the two.

cheers

Harry

(and BTW, I personally think we should get rid of the abomination that is the boundary ropes. If you want a 6, you should hit it over the fence, if you want a 4 it should have to carry those extra few metres)