If poor quality cricket is seen as more entertaining then good quality cricket, then all that will happen is the degradation of the sport.
Last week two Tests concluded.
Australia lost to South Africa, after being humiliatingly bowled out for just 85 in 32.5 overs.
England drew with India, after two mammoth totals were unable to separate the teams.
If a martian landed on earth, and had the option of watching cricket for the very first time, I have little doubt which they’d chose.
They chose the calamitous collapse down under, not the hard grind in the sub-continent.
Fortunately, Test cricket’s popularity is not determined by extra-terrestrial beings, but by fans of the sport.
In the concluding day of these two test matches, a martian seems to have written an opinion piece for the Sydney Morning Herald however.
This particular being, known locally as ‘Malcolm Knox’, claims that “While Australia destroy themselves, England destroy the game”.
He writes in his article, “…while Australia are lambasted for playing their own way, a feckless younger generation putting entertainment ahead of survival, Cook cruises like a stately zeppelin towards his fifth Test century in India, more than any other visitor.
As he did so, televisions were switched off across the subcontinent, and left on only in places where the only alternative was to look at the rain”.
His logic, is: ‘Sure Australia were bad, but at least people watched it’. It’s is the kind of lowering of standards, that does long term damage. It’s the kind of attitude that encourages people to say “what’s the point of Test cricket..”
What’s more, India and Australia have fairly similar win records at home. The difference, is Australia lose a lot more, because they are more gung-ho, or perhaps more willing to take risks.
Since 2007, when a number of Australian greats retired and the IPL was set up, India and Australia have fairly similar records for home test wins.
Out of 52 home Tests in Australia since, 33 have produced home wins (63%). India have won 28 out of 45 home Tests (62%).
The difference, is Australia have lost 10 Tests, India have lost four.
Australia think results are key. 82% of home Tests have produced definitive results. Yet, India know how to draw. They have produced 13 of them (28%).
Malcolm Knox may consider a draw to be ‘boring’, but one needs to look at the bigger picture.
Most teams would rather draw in the short term to win in the longer term. You’d rather be 0-0 in a series than 1-0 down. Right?
If a batsman, or a team is capable of holding out, then fair play to them. Right?
England, and indeed Alastair Cook, certainly showed this during his 235* at the Gabba, Malcolm?
This simplistic view that Test cricket must produce results or else it’s boring, is exactly the type of attitude that will kill the game. It’s selling the game’s soul for a cheap illusion that it’s exciting.
The entire point of Test cricket, is that it tests you. It’s supposed to be an endurance race. A long game, and sometimes, an indecisive dead-heat. Indeed, some of the best Tests ever seen have been draws.
Sometimes it can be frustrating to watch Alastair Cook.
But, he did exactly what was required of him, leading a side that just slipped up against Bangladesh.
They served a moral victory in many respects.
Whilst every team wants to win matches, forcing results for the sake of it, and branding it ‘entertainment’, is a lowering of everyone’s standards.
It’s a race to the bottom that Test cricket just doesn’t need.
Stumpycricket 