Why the five day game rules (me)!!

Why the five day game rules (me)!!

Very few events in ones life tend to influence them to the extent that their presence is sine qua non. Family, friends and a few episodes do occupy a special place in my heart, but I for one would go as far as elevating test match cricket to the same pedestal. Absurd though this may sound, this version of my favorite game has been the most alluring and captivating feature of the last 10-12 years and undoubtedly will be for years to come. It has quite easily kept me glued to the television screen when on air, to the newspapers for a thorough read and made me yearn for books galore to learn more. In the era of T-20 cricket when even the fifty over game seems painfully slow to most so called cricket fans, an ardent lover of the five day game (read ‘I’) have been branded an anachronism. Clichéd though it might be, the statement ‘old is gold’ is a very accurate one in this context. Its time I actually start reflecting on the reasons behind the greatness of test cricket and more specifically why I have been so drawn to it.

Among my group of friends, almost all of who are cricket fanatics, I am pretty much regarded a freak when it comes to cricket and its statistics. I have tried to recall when this sudden interest stemmed in me and have found it all too difficult to pinpoint the time from when I became cricket crazy. Test match cricket has been around for decades, 131 years to be precise. Unbelievably gifted players and fantastic teams have graced the arena over the years and surreal performances fill the memory. But one might justifiably ask- what is the difference between this game and the others? Nearly every game has its own elite set of heroes over the years and produces unforgettable moments. Test cricket though stands out in its ability to still thrill and enchant viewers like no other sport whilst retaining almost all its originality.

Typically, a test match spans five days and though this duration might seem a crazy idea to most sport lovers, it’s this very aspect of the game that helps in stand out. Three sessions constitute a day’s play and the start and end of each of them fills one with anticipation. Though moments of brilliance can and do often make the difference, more often than not it is continued consistency and endurance that separate the winning and losing teams. For a spectator and viewer, this is compelling watching. Not for a minute can a player afford to relax or drop guard as he knows all too well that the session and hence the game may hinge on that moment. The batsmen’s technique and bowlers’ skills are thoroughly examined and tremendous application, patience and focus is paramount for success in test cricket.

Test cricket has continued to enthrall players and viewers alike because of its purity. The game has managed to retain its pristine nature despite changes galore all round it. Statistics, controversies, records, memorable performances, amazing on field displays not to mention exceptional radio and television commentary and coverage of the game have all added gloss to the evergreen game. A number of fantastic books have been written by great cricket aficionados further enhancing its beauty.

Well, much as I do try to avoid for fear of fewer readers, no piece on test cricket can do justice to it if it is bereft of the history or statistics. So I shall try and provide a very brief summary of the game so far which also encompasses the reasons why the game stands tall in the pantheon of sports. Originally contested only between England and Australia, their rivalry came to be known as the ‘Ashes’ and their clashes don’t fail to woo the cricket viewer to this date. Other countries including India, South Africa, the West Indies also entered the fray, albeit a few decades later. The greatest player in the pre war period was Sir Donald Bradman of Australia who averaged a stupendous yet unreal 99.94 and is surely the greatest batsman statistically as long as the game survives. Also other exceptionally great players included the man who has the highest number of first class hundreds to date-Sir Jack Hobbs(Eng), the great run machine and fielder par excellence Walter Hammond(Eng) and two of the most consistent and brilliant bowlers to have played the game in Sid Barnes(Eng) and Clarrie Grimmett(Aus). The most controversial and ill tempered cricket contest before the world war was the infamous Bodyline series between Australia and England in 1932-33 when the English captain, in an attempt to stop the deluge of runs from Bradman embarked on what is known as the leg theory of bowling. This series has been all too well documented in books and also had a mini television series made. Reading about the bodyline series and getting a better picture of the situation then was a great boost to my ever increasing love for the game.

The post war period has had some of the best players, trendsetters, and fascinating contests ever witnessed. The West Indies rose to power slowly through the 1950’s and by the mid 1970’s after a few hiccups midway, they were well and truly the greatest team in the world. They revolutionized the game and had a galaxy of star batsman and virtually an assembly line of quality fast bowlers. They debunked the theory that a team needed spinners to perform well and their fast bowlers put fear in the mind of opposition batsmen for almost three decades. Some of the Caribbean greats include Sir Garfield Sobers, who has almost unanimously been chosen the greatest al rounder to have stepped on a cricket field, the 3 W’s (Worrell, Walcott, Weekes), Clive Lloyd- who captained a champion west Indian team which lorded the cricket world more than a decade, Sir Vivian Richards, inarguably the most exciting and destructive batsman to have played the game. They also had fast bowlers such as Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshall, and Andy Roberts who terrorized batsmen the world over. West Indian cricket had in its culture a sense of gay abandon and a different kind of love for the game which readily made it the most loved cricket team all around. They transformed the way cricket was played and test cricket is without doubt indebted to them for this immeasurable contribution of theirs. Australia have been the most consistent team through all the years and since the mid 90’s regained the crown of champions from the declining west Indian outfit which has been in the doldrums ever since much to the chagrin of almost every cricket lover.

Wonderful commentators including John Arlott, Brian Johnston, Richie Benaud and many more have made cricket viewing on television a pleasure. Watching a test match being played down under early morning in India was a pleasure beyond comparison and I haven’t experienced a single event that matches that feeling. Players like Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, and Shane Warne shone bright and captured the minds of the cricket fan. I have been privileged to have been in an era when test match cricket has been at its glorious best and even more blessed to have been able to watch videos and read about the era gone by which undoubtedly set the tone for all the great stuff that followed.

I could as well go on and on writing about test cricket, professing my love for the game and glorifying it no end. But I would rather conclude thus if ever there is a thing called rebirth, I pray that I be reborn as a test cricketer.