Cricket’s world showdown finally lives up to its billing on thrilling first day

Grumbles about formats and venues are forgotten as first South Africa’s quicks, and then Australia’s, make hay in Lord’s sunshineOver the week of lead-up to its third staging, the World Test Championship final has felt increasingly like something that counts. After two abandoned attempts to host it at Lord’s, having been diverted first to the Hampshire Bowl and then to The Oval, it is finally being held at cricket’s original headquarters. On the first day of the match, with a surge of people up St John’s Wood Road, whether for a sensible start time of 10.30am or spilling over into an occasionally sunny afternoon, forming an eventual crowd of more than 26,000, this at last felt like vindication of concept.Of course, cricket being cricket, this also means that the game’s biggest interests are right now lining up to sabotage it. The Indian board plans to take the next final to their cavern in Ahmedabad, where about 13 people will show up to watch, especially if it’s a neutral fixture. Even India Tests when Virat Kohli was playing drew paltry crowds there. Partly their move will be motivated by a thirst for prestige, partly by India having already lost two finals in England. It is comically being framed as a “bid”, while everyone in cricket knows that that the BCCI does not do any bidding, but only has its bidding done. Continue reading...

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