The wash up

Ohh, sometimes i love the ambiguity, the backtracking, the fingerpointing, the argumentative posturing of protagonists...

Many an argument have I had with firends, associates, workmates, complete strangers - debating the merits of what happened THAT day v IND, 2nd test 6/1/08.

It has led to many a question: "How can you say that and then say this?" "Yes, but you have to apply that argument to the nth degree" "Suffice to say, that this, and that..."

And so it goes! Rarely has one been able to let fly with joyful abandon at the merits of the individual, the questionable integrity, the singularty of a moment recollected that might crystalise for someone a certain point, yet profoundly raise another's ire with similar want and reason.

Look, let's remember this. Who remembers the boxing day test? Will the Perth test be remembered as well? I doubt it...

So, if nothing else, come away with this in mind. We, collectively, were witness to possibly the most controversial test in recent history; people will be talking about this test FOR YEARS. The reprucussions are just starting to be felt.

What the role of sledging? What the role of techniology? What the role of the umpire? What the role of the captain? What the role of the media?

These quandries have surely been brewing in elite cricket so long as it has been a marketable TV commodity, and the want therefore of advertisers, and those of us with the luxury of slo-mo replays. We were just priveledged to be here to see it.

Let us for 1 second admit that. I look at the Swans '05 premiership in the same light. The dust is still settling, people are still backtracking, journalists are still claiming the morale high ground - what else would you expect. Groundbreaking moments are few and far between - this is up there with the best of them.

Look, I love cricket. And I love it as a representation of the highest of sportsmanship. But are we also unfairly judging the participants? These people have a net in the morning, then spend the rest of the day justifying their actions to an expectant media. Not to mention the corporate pressure. NO TEST IS EVER PLAYED ANYMORE WITH MERE SPORTSMANHIP IN MIND.

I'm a simple man with simple pleasures. I know what I want, but I'm also brave enough to admit when I'm a mere spectator, and a lucky one at that.

So, maybe, for now, argue all you want, but keep in mind that nothing has rocked test cricket like this for 70 years.

That, in and of itself, surely, is reason to again celebrate the game where one man hurls a leather entwined ball at another man with a plank of wood...