OPINION: Proteas have a chance to promote Test cricket in global final

Of all the different formats of competition in all the various sports which are contested at elite level, there is nothing more entertaining than a Test cricket match.

In a fast-paced world in which we are losing patience, and we want everything delivered now, five-day games don’t really meet the criteria of what we find entertaining these days.

Instead, T20 matches have taken precedence, becoming such a popular format that questions have been raised about whether Test and ODI cricket will even be able to survive in this environment.

Bash-and-dash cricket is short enough to retain our attention, and while Test matches are actually more entertaining if you have the time and patience to watch them, it does make sense that T20 games are as well supported as they are around the world.

End of longer formats?

There is a danger, however, that the popularity of the short format will ultimately bring an end to longer forms of the game, and future generations might never know what they’re missing.

If this happens, the quality of the sport will also take a knock and it could lead to the death of cricket because it is the one-day and first-class formats that teach players the skills that can then be converted to the T20 game.

Even though the matches are shorter, in order for T20 cricket to be worth watching, the players still need the skills that are developed through longer formats.

But the money which is driving the game at professional level is no longer coming from ODI or Test cricket. Most of the funding comes from T20 cricket (particularly from league competitions played across the globe) and the only way the powers that be will focus on longer formats is if the public continues showing adequate interest.

Proteas in Test final

In order to combat this and save the longest format, at least in South Africa, it’s crucial that the Proteas are performing well in Test cricket to attract interest from younger fans and the general public.

With the national team having qualified for the World Test Championship final in London next month, where they face Australia, they’ve already managed to draw much needed attention to the five-day format.

And if they go on to lift the trophy, it will be a historic achievement for South African cricket. More importantly, it will go a long way in attracting people to the highly entertaining Test format.