Cricket (Finally) the Winner at the SCG

The annual January 2 Test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground finished recently, leaving me with nothing to do except borrow a cricket video from the library. It was the final match of a 3-game series against South Africa, and Australia won it to take the series 2-0 (the first game was a draw). Why was cricket (finally) the winner?

After four days of dismal sport marred by boring South African batting, poor weather, and rotten umpiring, the fifth day produced great excitement as Graeme Smith, the South African captain, declared his innings with a slender lead of 286 in the hope of bowling Australia out. History was against Australia making the runs, but they broke a 107-year-old ground record to do just that. Smith took a big risk to try and win the game, and it didn't pay off. He was desparate to level the series 1-1, but ended up losing it 2-0. His bravery and commitment to provide an entertaining day's play, whatever the result, has probably won him many fans from a previously lukewarm Australian public. South Africa certainly emerged as a brave and worthy cricket opponent. The return series – three Tests in South Africa commencing in March – promises excitement.

Despite Australia winning the match on paper, they can't be said to have truly won it. South Africa had a commanding lead at all stages until Smith forced the issue. Australia took advantage of the opportunity Smith provided; they did not create their own opportunity. South Africa could easily have engineered a draw and kept the series at 1-0, but chose the more sporting option of chasing a win and entertaining the crowds. Therefore, I declare cricket the winner.

And an unlikely winner it was, after poor weather stealing some of the time available, and poor umpiring having far too much impact on the game. More incorrect decisions went against South Africa than against Australia; this really risked undermining the game and its result. Fortunately, South Africa retained the dominant position they deserved until they declared their hand.

Most fortunately of all, Australia has somebody worth competing against in Test cricket again. England aside, the other handful of Test-playing nations have proven inadequate in recent years. There's nothing worse than the seeing beautiful five-day game be regularly reduced to a three-day demolition (the occasional smashing of the Poms is OK). The world needs a sport where two teams are tested, individually and collectively, over an extended period. I can't see any other sports fitting that description.