Before you could say ‘Howzatt?’ the Cape Town Test between India and South Africa was over. In under two days. Making it the shortest Test match in history. We feel especially bad for that South African chap who went in to take a loo break in the Indian first innings when the score was 153 with K L Rahul and Virat Kohli at the crease, and the former batter was to face the first delivery of the 33rd over from paceman Lungi Ngidi. Over the next 1.5 overs, the Indian scorecard would remain at 153 with 6 wickets falling. By the time our man returned from the lav, the Indian first innings was over.
Yes, yes, India won the match, squaring the series. And, yes, yes, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah saw to it that a second-inning 106-run stand by opener Aiden Markram went in vain. But the ‘hero’ of the day – well, two days – had to be the Newlands pitch. Or, more accurately, ‘patch’ airlifted from the Khyber Pass that made both teams play the cricketing version of Russian roulette, a.k.a. Let’s See Who Lasts Less Long. Book cricket games have lasted longer. But through whichever stump vision we see it, despite the ‘Records have tumbled!’ headlines, this is another nail in the coffin of Test cricket. The connoisseur of strategy and tactics is again being told to choose another sport. For those who want a ‘longer’ game, watch IPL.
