By Kersi Meher-Homji
January 8th 2010 @ 3:00am
Related coverage
How Test matches, ODIs and Twenty20s relate to love
South African batsman HM Amla makes runs as Australian bowler James Hopes follows his misfielded ball during the 4th One Day International cricket match between Australia and South Africa at the Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, Monday, Jan. 26, 2009. AAP Image/Dave Hunt
Much has been written about the amazing, topsy-turvy Sydney Test, with a twist in its tail. Talking of tail, the man who saved Australia from defeat, and skipper Ricky Ponting from carping criticism, was the tail-ender, Peter Siddle.
The Test was exclusively Pakistan’s when Siddle, the wood-chopper, joined Mike Hussey, Mr Test cricket.
The score was then 8 for 257, with Australia only 51 runs ahead.
We expected Hussey to score runs, which he did. But for Siddle to help Hussey add 123 runs for the ninth wicket made the difference between winning and losing.
What an odd couple, the wood-chopper and Mr Test cricket!
They combined brilliantly and wrote a wonderful chapter in Test history. Without Siddle’s stoic defence, the series would have been locked at one-all.
During the Test, the question I was frequently asked was whether Test cricket would survive in face of challenge from Twenty20 cricket. Especially as the crowd figures were so disappointing for a Sydney Test.
In all, only about 90,000 attended. Even on the first day, a Sunday, the attendance figure was under 30,000. Then it tapered on the following days.
As the survival of Test cricket has been discussed in detail by those who know more than I do, I answered the burning question in a quirky way.
To me Test cricket is like a stable marriage: old-fashioned but satisfying, at times exciting, at times ho-hum. But it leads to the next generation.
An ODI is like living together: few strings and certainly no ring attached. Less chance of the next generation ensuing. Just as there are only single innings in an ODI, there are single parents in de-facto relationships.
A Twenty20 match is like a one-night stand, more sixes than maidens.
A Twenty20 bash-up has as much six appeal as a one-night affair has sex appeal. And no boring bits. But not satisfying, as one rarely remembers his last fling.
But you do remember your wedding anniversary after a year, a decade, 25 years on. Or else you are in real trouble!
Just as you remember the Ashes Test of 1970-71 in Sydney, when England’s fast bowler (and part-time poet) John Snow hit Australia’s tail-ender Terry Jenner on the head with a bouncer and England’s captain Ray Illingworth lead his team off the field until the playing area was cleared of beer cans.
Or the Centenary Test on the MCG in March 1977.
It had many highlights but the sight of Aussie opener Rick McCosker coming out to bat with his jaw wired, face swollen and bandaged was perhaps the most memorable.
In the first innings, a Bob Willis snorter was deflected to his face and his jaw was broken. Despite this, he came out to bat in the second innings at no.10, looking like an astronaut walking in space.
He batted for over an hour, adding 54 runs with Rod Marsh. As Australia beat England by 45 runs, this partnership was crucial.
Who can forget that and hundreds of other memorable moments?
I do remember some ODIs, especially the 1999 World Cup in England when Australia played two screamers against South Africa.
But they are few and far between.
The Twenty20s, although exciting, tend to get diminished in the memory bank. Or is it just me?
And finally, what about first-class cricket like Sheffield Shield, County championships, Ranji Trophy?
The matches are like dating service. The selectors find out who is best for who and make necessary introductions.
Get Australia's best Cricket opinion emailed daily.
Like this content? Buzz it up!
Free Email updates:
Our daily emails are only sent if there is content for the sport or that author. You can subscribe to multiple daily emails; or get the daily Roar email with all our content in it. We value privacy. More...
(23)
vinay verma said | January 8th 2010 @ 7:06am | Report comment
Kersi,lets take the analogy a bit further. More like nature. You have the Cherry Blossom Tree.Every year in Spring there is this sudden blooming of a mass of Pink( much like the theme for Mcgrath) and then a week later it is gone. The leaves remain through summer and then fall off too. The tree remains with its stored life for future generations(summers) The tree with its roots is Test Cricket. Constant as long it is nourished(suitable watering by administrators) The flowers and leaves are the shorter forms of the game. Which cannot exist without the Tree. So,I say,enjoy,the shorter form while it lasts but dont ignore the longer form.Otherwise there will be no more blossoms next spring. As an ironic aside the Kamikaze pilots of Japan used to paint the Cherry Blossom on the side of their Zero fighters.Cherry Blossoms and Cicadas,the sounds of summer and the Big Bash.
I have deliberately refrained from the marriage and partners anology as many vows are broken in marriage and on the flip side many defacto relationships survive because there is no compulsion. Human nature is harder to figure than the permanency of Nature.
I hope I have not deterred other Roarers with my seriousness. I have written this with hope for the longer form.
Fisher Price said | January 8th 2010 @ 7:19am | Report comment
I’ve been calling 20-20 speed dating for a couple of years, I wrote it on a Roar blog a couple of days ago.
Hans von Shutsenhausen said | January 8th 2010 @ 8:16am | Report comment
Like so many of my friends & colleagues, it is ALL about test match cricket.
I was fortunate enough to date a girl some years back who is a member at the SCG and who gave me her Guests Card (and the subsequent renewal!) and so I always get along to a couple of days. I enjoy beer from a glass, and being addressed as ‘Sir’ rather than ‘next’ at the bar.
Had i not been so fortunate, however, I would no more attend SCG fixtures than support Manly. You can’t get a proper beer, you can’t look anywhere without seeing security guards and if you so much as fart, you get frog-marched.
I don’t consider myself a complete yobbo but fair dinks, the fun-sheriffs have just rooted it. It’s simply no fun in general admission anymore.
Jay said | January 8th 2010 @ 10:30am | Report comment
Hans – join the AJC, which gives you member access to the SCG for a year without the waiting period.
Hans von Shutsenhausen said | January 8th 2010 @ 10:40am | Report comment
Really?!
I just joined the AJC last month (get the official nod in a couple of weeks) – how does that work at the SCG? You can go for a year? Then what? No more?
Or does it get you priority in joining the SCG? Please advise!
Best, HvS.
Jay said | January 8th 2010 @ 10:47am | Report comment
check out this website. you can purchase the tickets for certain days of the test match.
http://www.scgt.nsw.gov.au/AJC-Members.html
http://www.scgt.nsw.gov.au/IgnitionSuite/uploads/docs/AJC%20Reciprocal%20Rights%20for%202010%20Cricket%20Season1.pdf
Hans von Shutsenhausen said | January 8th 2010 @ 10:51am | Report comment
Will do, many thanks Jay.
Brett McKay said | January 8th 2010 @ 8:40am | Report comment
I like it Kersi, I like it. I’ll take it a touch further and add that the selectors are the pig-headed parents who won’t dare let their child’s marriage be broken on their watch, and instead force the charade to go on when all around know that someone has to go…
John said | January 8th 2010 @ 9:44am | Report comment
Two innings per side, get the other side out twice and get more runs than them.
That is the test. Twenty twenty may be a lot of fun, but it is not my idea of serious cricket.
Brett McKay said | January 8th 2010 @ 9:57am | Report comment
John, I made the comment to a couple of mates yesterday that I can’t think of any other sport played at the top level that pits two teams against each other for six hours every day, for five days. Dominance can’t be just for 80 or 90 minutes, or four quarters with a break in the middle, it has to be strung togther over days on end.
It’s possibly the ultimate sporting contest on the planet…
reds fan said | January 8th 2010 @ 10:12am | Report comment
spot on. and the multiple plot lines that unfold, the tension, the drama, the sense of heroics that come from amazing turn arounds and courage… you dont get that in 20/20 or one-day cricket.
there aren’t many games of the short form that stick in the memory like truly great test matches. they just dont capture the public like gruelling 5 test series do.
Reagining the ashes leads news bulletins when it happens. Beating England in a one-day tournament would always have to wait for the sports section.
Jay said | January 8th 2010 @ 10:34am | Report comment
Very well said Reds Fan.
I recall Geoff Boycott using the analogy of all the forms of cricket – being the longer the form of the game, the more likely it is that the better team with the better skills will win. A test match is the ultimate sporting contest in the world. In t20, you can get the Netherlands beating England, Zimbabwe beating Aus, but there is no where to hide in Test Cricket. Long may it live!
BigAl said | January 8th 2010 @ 10:07am | Report comment
My late father in law stormed up the beach at Normandy 66 years ago and he was – Not Out !!
However the younger generation (including some direct descendants) fail to grasp the magnificence of his innings there
– so why would they give a hoot about the History of Test Cricket.
All this is pretty natural – time just moves on.
M1tch said | January 8th 2010 @ 12:22pm | Report comment
Anyone expect the new keeper Sarfraz to take Kamrans spot>?
Brett McKay said | January 8th 2010 @ 12:40pm | Report comment
Certainly the PCB do Mitch – the release they issued last night announcing the dispatching of Sarfraz, which has been widely quoted today includes:
“As an urgent action, it was agreed to send wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed to Australia before the third Test to reinforce the wicketkeeping department. The tour selection committee has been informed accordingly. As a result, Sarfraz Ahmed will be participating in [the] third Test scheduled at Hobart.”
vinay verma said | January 8th 2010 @ 12:56pm | Report comment
Brett,we could see Sarfraz play as a longstop!
Brett McKay said | January 8th 2010 @ 1:11pm | Report comment
Is long leg allowed to wear ‘keeping gloves?!? Much has been said about Kamran’s drop catches, but I’d be interested to see how many byes he let through as well – he seemed to mis-glove a lot of what came his way..
My club coach used to refer to a young ‘keeper who had a similar problem a few years ago as “Cymbals”….
Mitch said | January 8th 2010 @ 1:24pm | Report comment
Play Kamran as a batsman, Faisal hasnt done much, Kamran is 2nd most experienced player cant drop him
Jay said | January 8th 2010 @ 1:33pm | Report comment
Recall Afridi. Good partnership breaking bolwer as well as destructive batsmen. Playing well for Adeliade recently.
Mitch said | January 8th 2010 @ 1:49pm | Report comment
True, even more so for his bowling..
Lazza said | January 8th 2010 @ 1:45pm | Report comment
Twenty20 competitions are very much like the old one day Tri-nation series, play a hundred meaningless games to knock one team out and have a ‘Final’. As soon as they’re over no-one remembers or cares who won. You need a proper competition with a meaningful prize or trophy that fans remember, care about and are happy to have ‘bragging rights’.
Copying Football with the Champions League is good and each county should have one proper national competition that builds history and tradition and means something. At international level, competitions that feature only 2 or 3 countries are just as meaningless as the ‘trophies’ on offer. Get them all together every year or two for a proper contest. If T20 is the future then at least make it more interesting and meaningful. Otherwise they’re just exhibition games.
drewster said | January 8th 2010 @ 4:06pm | Report comment
Gotta love the analogy Kersi ! I mean you are right about not missing the anniversary. Many of us would rather face a barrage of bumpers than the barrage from the wife on this one.
Vinay, Love the nickname “Cymbals” Yes it has a nice sound to it (Pardon the Pun) Kamran “Cymbals” Akmal.
Kersi Meher-Homji said | January 8th 2010 @ 4:31pm | Report comment
Pleased you liked the analogy, Drewster.
Going further on the same lines: What does a Green Shield (under-16) match equivalent to? The walk with your first girl friend in the park, holding hands.