The 2000th Test – http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 - Test Cricket unbeaten on 2000 and going strong
On the eve of the 2000th Test match, it is a mere fact that the origins of one of the world’s most popular sports cannot be traced that easily. However, it is widely accepted that its birth can be credited to the Englishmen, who implemented the first official laws in 1774.
With the first official test match being played in 1877, the five-day experience remains the pinnacle of Cricket, where every youngster takes pride in wearing his teams Test Cap, the true distinction of his identity, in an otherwise all white contest.
With Test cricket being associated with names such as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Frederick-Sewards-Trueman-c57940, it is certainly head and shoulders above all other formats of the game. The Men in Whites represent the soul of the game in its purest and most sacred form.
Having said that, the game remains a gentleman’s contests, where every moment is an experience worth cherishing .With the fiercest rivalries nowhere else to be found, where players from either side wear their hearts on sleeves, every Test match is an epic encounter.
The most intriguing part of the longest and oldest format of the game is that it does not rely on immediate pleasure; rather, it tests the true capability and mentality of players over the course of five long days. Winning or losing is not so important in a true contest, as is the spirit of the game and the character of the players.
Test cricket took the World swiftly, such that since its advent, the first 1000 tests took over 100 years, while the subsequent 1000 were seen in less than three decades.
The biggest critique Test cricket has had to face was regarding its longevity and continued popularity through changing times. As more and more cricket was being played, fans thrived for change and quick results, leading to the shorter formats of the game coming into play.
However, one needs to remember the joy and sense of achievement associated with patience and persistence in the face of adversity, which underlines the true identity of the game.
To do justice to the longest format of the game, one must recall the greatest comebacks ever, be it the 1981 Headingly Test match between England and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746, or the 2001 India v Australia clash at Kolkata, where sides have come back from an innings down to register memorable wins. In such encounters, patience, drama, excitement, elation, joy and disappointment have all been tested to their fullest.
Moreover, the grueling format has given rise to some of the biggest rivalries that exist on the field of cricket today. From the beginning, England and Australia have been the leaders in the sport, carrying the weight of the game on their shoulders.
However, with time, we have witnessed India and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755, two teams blessed with immense talent, battle out their differences on a cricket field. Their clashes resulted in some of the most riveting test matches, with the weight of their nations on their shoulders, hoping and praying for their sides to emerge victorious.
More so, the Test cricket provided fans from all over to witness the invincible era of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Joel-Garner-c67141 and Malcolm Marshal who a have a ruled the game and hearts of many.
It is due to the contributions of these greats, that ahead of the 2000th test match, this cricketing event remains in its purest form, demanding perfection and concentration while offering excitement, emotions and drama, just as it did over a century ago.
One must not forget that some of the greatest cricketers of all time were a product of the 5-day game. Saying that Test cricket has lost its identity would be untrue, where the format has given much to the game of cricket, producing players like http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Imran-Khan-c64237 and Ian Botham, who have their names in the annals of history, for as long as the sport continues.
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