Test Match Cricket

Test match cricket is the ultimate test of cricketing skill. With matches lasting up to five days and a possible two innings per side, winning a test match is a massive achievement compared to winning in shorter forms of cricket, and perhaps other sports.

It takes sustained skill, fitness, tactics and endurance, and even more so when its part of a test series of up to five matches. This is a ruthless war, where every weakness of the opposition is exploited to gain the advantage.

Yet, despite all this skill, the outcome of a test match between two evenly matched teams can depend on the toss of a coin. The decision on who bats or bowls first is decided in any cricket match by the captain who wins the toss. This decision is far more important in test match cricket, because five days of wear and weather can change the character of the wicket. In the case of a good surface that may deteriorate, batting first is likely to be a good choice. In the case of a “green wicket” that could help seam bowling early on, bowling first is an option. However, the legendary W G Grace is alleged to have commented “When you win the toss – bat. If you are in doubt, think about it, then bat. If you have very big doubts, consult a colleague – then bat”.

This decision can backfire, if the chasing team decides that the target can not be reached, and bats out time for a draw. And on occasion, the chasing team has batted brilliantly and achieved an unlikely win, for example West Indies v England at Lords in 1984. England declared setting a tough target of 342 to win on the fifth day of the match. However, a blistering 214 not out from Gordon Greenidge destroyed the English attack, and was instrumental in winning the match by 9 wickets, well within the allotted time.

At any time after each 80 overs of a test innings, the fielding captain has the option to replace the old ball with a new one. The hardness and shine of a new ball helps the faster bowlers achieve more bounce and swing, while the roughness of an older ball helps the spin bowlers, or those skilled at “reverse swing”. The timing of the captain’s decision depends on depends on the state of the match, but taking the new ball is a positive move that is rarely delayed for too long.

Welcome losses to the test match spectacle are the “timeless tests” of the 1930s, which were allowed to continue until there was a positive result. These were thankfully abandoned because it was impossible to predict when a match would finish – a nightmare for tour organizers and commercial partners. The last timeless test was held between England and South Africa in 1939, and was declared a draw after 9 days play, when the England team had to catch the boat home!

On the other side of the scales, only two test matches have ever been tied ie, both teams’ innings were complete and the scores were level. These were among the most exciting cricket matches ever played, and both involved Australia. In 1960, Australia played West Indies at the Gabba ground in Brisbane. Australia needed 6 runs to win off the final over, to be bowled by Wes Hall. They had three wickets in hand; but lost them to two run outs and one catch, for five runs; the scores were level and the match was tied. The other tie was India v Australia at Madras in 1986, when India needed four runs to win from the last over, with one wicket remaining. They scored three before losing their last wicket, and the match was tied. In both cases, all spectators were nervous wrecks at the climax of the matches.

Test match cricket can be an exciting battle, where the balance of power shifts between each side from day to day, ending in tense climax on the final day. The 2005 Ashes series in England was a succession of such games, and drew massive public interest. But conversely, a test match can also drift into an uneventful, boring draw, which is very unattractive to the paying spectator. The excitement of one day internationals and Twenty20 cricket has consistently attracted large crowds, who know that every game will produce a win for one team.

So, the ICC changed the test match cricket fixture list to reinvigorate public interest. Until recently, test series were arranged between the two cricket nations, and umpires supplied by the home team. But now, the ICC arranges the fixture list of the ten global test teams, so that all teams play each other at least once during a six year cycle. Independent umpires are designated by the ICC, from their elite panel of umpires. And, a ranking system was introduced, producing a global league table of test match teams. Australia has dominated this ranking from its inception, though retirement of many of their star players in the last two years could threaten their domination.

The fixture rotation and ranking list have been successful, though there is some dissension in the ranks. Before this system, test nations could arrange the most financially attractive test series, but reject an approach from a team who were unlikely to attract many paying spectators. But the ICC rotation system has eliminated this choice, so for example, Australia or India must play Bangladesh or Zimbabwe. India has also challenged the system, as they want to play more games against opposition that will attract more spectators, say England or South Africa.

Test match cricket remains the classic form of the game. Despite the inevitable dull draws, there remains the potential for an epic battle with a nail biting climax. The demand for tickets speaks for itself; the 2008 summer test matches at Lords were sold out in January, after the ballot for tickets was massively over subscribed. Test matches at top Indian and Australian grounds play before crowds of 100,000. So despite all the competition from shorter forms of the game, test match cricket is very much alive and kicking.

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