Toyed with whether there should be a new thread as it is mostly about the first test, but now that the dust has settled, I think it does justify generalised thoughts.
I haven’t watched a test match with that level of rapt attention since the Ashes, probably not since the first test of the Ashes. For me, it ebbed and flowed in a tantalising way, keeping all three results (I know there’s four but the tie is always just a fluke) in sight at least until half distance and leaving two realistic until the fourth evening. As some on here said, this England always has a collapse in it, and a second quick wicket on the second evening with Duckett still at the hospital could have produced a very different story. But they also have a capacity to score big quickly, and Pakistan (but any side after what happened) a capacity for second innings disaster, that meant what actually happened was always a distinct possibility too. So I never understood the negativity that we had on here. The presumption for so long that there wasn’t even a match on. If you know test cricket, there was always a match on.
This was classic test cricket. Building situational pressure, slowly but inexorably. Creating scenarios where a dominant position was effectively exploited, or gradually thrown away. And finally, bang, the decisive 12th session that the whole four days had been building to. This is why red ball time cricket, especially in its five day form, is the most sublime form of the game there is. Because you have to beat sides not merely by outscoring them but also first in their heads and then by bowling them out. Twice. And for that to be an achievement, there has to be some jeopardy. It has to be possible that you might not. The possibility of the draw is the essence of test cricket. Of all time based cricket.
If you don’t get that, if you need the instant gratification of 15 wickets in a day, there’s plenty of cricket available to you to give you that, including most test matches in England these days if we’re honest. And I would accept that you would not necessarily want every test match to be played in these sorts of conditions, and to require this sort of effort. One of the glories of test cricket is in its variety. For every Multan road in the baking heat, there is a Trent Bridge green top on a damp July morning. But please don’t take this sort of game away from me completely. It was magical.
I haven’t watched a test match with that level of rapt attention since the Ashes, probably not since the first test of the Ashes. For me, it ebbed and flowed in a tantalising way, keeping all three results (I know there’s four but the tie is always just a fluke) in sight at least until half distance and leaving two realistic until the fourth evening. As some on here said, this England always has a collapse in it, and a second quick wicket on the second evening with Duckett still at the hospital could have produced a very different story. But they also have a capacity to score big quickly, and Pakistan (but any side after what happened) a capacity for second innings disaster, that meant what actually happened was always a distinct possibility too. So I never understood the negativity that we had on here. The presumption for so long that there wasn’t even a match on. If you know test cricket, there was always a match on.
This was classic test cricket. Building situational pressure, slowly but inexorably. Creating scenarios where a dominant position was effectively exploited, or gradually thrown away. And finally, bang, the decisive 12th session that the whole four days had been building to. This is why red ball time cricket, especially in its five day form, is the most sublime form of the game there is. Because you have to beat sides not merely by outscoring them but also first in their heads and then by bowling them out. Twice. And for that to be an achievement, there has to be some jeopardy. It has to be possible that you might not. The possibility of the draw is the essence of test cricket. Of all time based cricket.
If you don’t get that, if you need the instant gratification of 15 wickets in a day, there’s plenty of cricket available to you to give you that, including most test matches in England these days if we’re honest. And I would accept that you would not necessarily want every test match to be played in these sorts of conditions, and to require this sort of effort. One of the glories of test cricket is in its variety. For every Multan road in the baking heat, there is a Trent Bridge green top on a damp July morning. But please don’t take this sort of game away from me completely. It was magical.
