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Test Cricket…….the “ole” gentleman’s game. Five days consisting of three sessions per day where batsmen toil playing each ball on its merit. However in these modern times where we live in a fast-paced World, it’s all about making money and another form of cricket has been formed. T10, where bowlers are asked to bowl not more than 2 overs in a complete spell and batsmen take advantage of these 10 overs per side by belting the ball to all parts of the ground. One has to wonder with the newest form of the game formulated, would test cricket even have a chance of surviving in the future?
Imagine only seeing your favorite bowler such as Sunil Narine or Andre Russell bowling 2 overs per game unlike in test cricket where a bowler can bowl numerous spells at any time of the day. Batsmen in this format batting for 10 overs unlike in test cricket where one can see his/her favorite batsman like Virat Kohli, Joe Root or Chris Gayle bat an entire day’s play and grind out a hard-fought hundred, for example, one cannot forget Chris Gayle’s unbeaten 165 at the Adelaide Oval back in December 2009 where he battled against the Australian pace-attack to earn a deserved draw for the West Indians. It was an innings filled with ease, grace and perfect placement.
Add to the fact that upcoming super stars such as Nicholas Pooran, Evin Lewis, Sherfane Rutherford and Shemron Hetmyer would favor this form of cricket rather than the traditional test cricket largely due to its fast pace and big bucks at stake. Recently this was proven (December 2018) in Sharjah where the inaugural T10 tournament was won by the Darren Sammy led Northern Warriors defeated Pakhtoons (led by Shahid “Boom Boom” Afridi) by 22 runs in a game where over 230 runs were scored in the entire match. Talk about entertainment for the crowd with big hitting from Andre Russell and Rovman Powell. It’s a sad fact that these talented West Indian cricketers have chosen the path of the shortest game for various reasons, not least Cricket West Indies being a factor in the last decade or so.
If the West Indies were to field their strongest side on the park in test cricket, I have no doubt that West Indies will be a force to reckon with. It’s a shame to be honest but one can hope and be optimistic that with the proper infrastructure in the Caribbean and the improving relationships between the board and players that maybe one day West Indies can rise to the top. It has to start somewhere but for now, people will savor in the latest form of the game………T10 cricket.
