15: Test Cricket
This post is part of my Dailies collection. You can see more here
I forgot my laptop at work today, so I’m writing this on my phone. Just as well, because South Africa (my home country) are playing Australia in the World Test Championship, and I wanted to watch that instead of doing work.
Cricket is a game I hold dear to my heart. I played it throughout school. Some of my fondest childhood memories are my grandfather taking me to matches against other schools on a Saturday morning. He’d put out a deck chair and watch us intently. Cricket was always on in my grandparents’ house. I remember many a lazy afternoon as a kid in front of the TV while they dozed in and out of sleep on the sofa.
One memory that is seared into my brain is Lance Klusener single-handedly dragging South Africa to the brink of a World Cup final, only for Alan Donald to throw it all away against Australia. An amazing, but brutal game.
Another one i’ll never forget, also against Australia was the highest scoring one day international game ever played. This time we (South Africa) came out on top. I remember this one vividly, we were at my uncle’s house in London when it was on. Here are some highlights of us chasing down a world record tally. How can you not love this game?
In my (correct) opinion, test cricket remains the pinnacle of this great sport despite T20’s dominance. I am a cricket purist and I won’t apologise for it, T20 has ruined cricket. Yes, smacking the ball all over the park is great but nothing comes close to the tactical battle that happens over a 5-day test.
There are often long periods without a boundary or a wickets and to the uninitiated, it may seem like nothing is happening. But, there’s a game of cat and mouse going on between the batter and the bowler. How has the captain set the field? Is the bowler bowling to his field? Are they correctly exploiting the batter’s weaknesses? It truly is fascinating.
I’m lucky to live in Melbourne, home to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Over the years I’ve been lucky to go to the ‘G for cricket and AFL. Aussies are cricket mad, and every year, the men’s team play a test match on Boxing Day at the MCG. It’s a tradition. England will be touring this year for The Ashes, but I wasn’t able to get tickets in a spot I want so I guess i’ll be watching it at home.
I could keep talking but I need to go to bed soon, so i’ll end it here.
Ciao.
This post was last edited 3 months, 3 weeks ago.