I have many guilty pleasures.
Even when they don’t go as planned, these things still make me happy.
Hugs from my kids, even when they are sick and I know I’ll probably end up in hospital just from being near them. That first sip of beer on a hot day, even if that beer is Foster’s. Making jokes about how overrated James Anderson’s bowling record is, even when I probably don’t believe it anymore. Watching Test cricket, even if it is the West Indies versus India.
I’m a Test cricket tragic. I bet you are too. We watch every ball. We ride the ebbs and flows of a match over five days. We yearn for Richie’s silence on the television and applaud a batsman reaching lunch with maybe only 15 runs to his name. Maidens are sexy.
But what’s currently happening in the West Indies is unwatchable. It’s like being forced to listen to Narendra Modi sing karaoke. You’ll give it a chance but soon realise that your facial muscles are hurting from all that cringing.
This India vs West Indies series has fallen to such a low that Ten Sports are cutting to advertisements while Indian batsmen are scoring hundreds. Just like your uncle’s attempt at butter chicken that’s sat un-refrigerated for a few days, even the official broadcaster doesn’t want to consume it.
Normally, if Ravi Ashwin scored a 100 and took a 7 fer in a Test match, he’d be labelled the next Kapil or Botham or Imran. But no one saw it. No one is writing about it. No one cares. It appears most would rather see what’s happening in the CPL, which coincidently, no one is watching. Indians would rather sit through England v Pakistan or Sri Lanka v Australia or repeats of Indian Idol 7
Anything but the West Indies playing Test cricket.
It was much more exciting last time around when they just packed up and left half way through a tour. At least that was unique.
So is this the end of Test cricket? Are we now just T20 groupies awaiting our next fix of maximums and dancing girls and Ramiz Raja’s marvellous hair?
If the Indian population doesn’t care about the long form of the game, is it time we euthenised it?
Of course not.
We’ve seen crap cricket before. In fact, we should give credit to England, who for most of their history have made crap cricket an art form. There’s probably a gallery in London somewhere with all of their crappy cricket art hanging from the walls. Portraits of John Embury, Scott Borthwick and Darren Pattinson all hand drawn by Phil Tufnell.
Now it’s the turn of the West Indies. We should have seen it coming. Actually, we did see it. During the last Australian summer, these islanders put on the worst three Test series in living history. The most memorable part of it was watching their non Test playing stars in the Big Bash. We were riveted seeing Chris Gayle awkwardly attempt to pick up Mel McLaughlin rather than being riveted watching Chandrika awkwardly attempt to use a cricket bat.
Rather than let the world move on, India have decided that they could better that craziness with a four Test version of last year’s amazingly horrible three Test version. Why would you do that to fans? Is there some Machiavellian subplot I’m missing?
In a month or so, these miserable matches will be put behind us and the cricketing train will move on to other parts. This is a good thing.
Because no matter how poor Test cricket gets from time to time, it has a one hundred year history of bouncing back. Or is it a two hundred year history?
Don’t be fooled by the sixteen people who actually turn up to watch in the crowd, over rates moving slower than tectonic plates, the unstoppable production line of ho-hum ex cricketer broadcasters trying to outdo each other or the off field politics of the BCCI.
None of this matters. Test cricket is above all of these shenanigans. For those that have discovered and embraced it, it provides Zen. It is simultaneously Yin and Yang. It will survive a nuclear war.
This India vs West Indies series won’t kill Test cricket. Nothing can kill Test cricket. It is the cockroach of sports.
Originally published at Scoopwoop Follow @denniscricket_
Cricket is the greatest sport in the world & Test cricket its pinnacle. Whilst you may be great at the shorter forms of the game, if you ain’t good enough, Test cricket will find you out.al la West Indies. The greatest players in the history of the game were Test cricketers. Case closed.
As usual, brilliant. Test Cricket is the Creme de la Creme of the beautiful game. It separates the men from the boys.
Fosters…ick! You’d have to be desperate! Lol.
Some good points raised Dennis. Personally it breaks my heart to see the WIndies who were the greatest when I was a kid and first started watching cricket to what they are now. Hopefully they can only get better… Nothing compares to a week watching a test game for me, even if it uses up most of my annual leave as my boss thankfully is a fan too and lets me plan my holidays around it. Ah, a week on the couch with a fridge full of ” beverages” not much better. Although this week has certainly not been boring! More cringe worthy cricket by our Aussie batsmen.