Aussies turn up, dig deep for Test

After five days of heroic endeavour, Test cricket emerged the winner from the Boxing Day match between Australia and India at a brimming Melbourne Cricket Ground.

It was a Test that had everything, including a fine result secured in the final hours of a lengthy struggle. Australia fought hard to win but it did not come easy. It was a five-day nailbiter of endurance for players and fans alike, just as a Test match should be.

This was a wake-up call for critics who have questioned the future of the Test format. And there was cause for additional celebration for Australian supporters with the arrival of teenager Sam Konstas, who made his debut with a first innings score of 60 runs from 65 balls in quick clip, and showing an on-field attitude that suggests he’s there for the long haul to have fun.

In the end, cricket is a game of numbers and the most satisfying statistic from this Test was delivered by fans. The Boxing Day Test smashed a Depression-era record for attendance that had stood since 1937, when Don Bradman was in his prime. A day-five crowd of 74,362 spectators at the MCG took the total attendance to 373,691, the biggest for any Test match in Australia. The previous record was 350,534 when Australia played England across six days.

The Test lesson? In tough times, Aussies can still turn up and know how to dig deep.