135 years of Test cricket – an overview Part 1
Cricket is amongst the most followed sports of the world. The game is gaining acceptance at a rapid pace and number of countries taking part in the game are increasing with every passing day.
Cricket is probably the only sport that has three formats, Test, One-Day and Twenty20, which run side by side. But before the sport became a worldwide phenomenon, there was only one format of the game and that is Test cricket.
Test cricket has a long history dating back to 17th century, while the other two formats are relatively new.
Prior to gaining international status, cricket was played domestically in England, who are the considered the pioneer of the sports.
First International Test match was played between England and Australia on March 15, 1877. Melbourne Cricket Ground in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 holds the honour of being the first stadium where the international match was played.
The Test matches at that time were limitless, unlike the ones played today the result of which should be decided within five days or else it would end in a draw. Australians, who were playing under the captaincy of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/David-William-Gregory-c53287,
became the first team to win a Test match; they accomplished this feat on March 19, 1877.
Australians won the game by 45 runs. The Aussies set http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 a target of 154 runs in their second innings but the Poms were dislodged for 108 runs inside 66.1 overs. The English avenged their defeat by winning the second Test by
four wickets and levelling the series 1-1.
Since that day, a great rivalry was born between England and Australia. The two countries play against each other every year in a five match Test series, which is given the title of “Ashes”.
For a number of years, Australia and England were the only two teams playing cricket but in 1889 http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 entered the game. The Proteas played for played for a number of years before their Test status was relinquished, in 1970,
because of racism. The South Africans made their return to Test cricket in 1991.
West Indies, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 entered Test cricket in 1952. The Green Shirts and Indians enmity was sparked by the tension between the two
neighbouring countries.
However, due to political interferences the two sides were unable to meet each other on regular basis, as their fans wanted them to.
Till date Australians are the best Test team, they have the highest win/loss percentage (1.79). From 741 Test games, Aussies have won 348 matches while losing on 194 occasions. England follows them with 326 wins from 918 games.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 cricket team of the 1980’s is the most successful Test team. The Caribbean team went 29 test series without losing a single series from 1980 till 1995. The Australian team tried their best to match the record but suffered
a series defeat when their streak had reached 16.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bengal-c771 Tigers lost 16 Test series in succession between 2001 till 2005.
Continued in Part 2...
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