Was there a golden era of test cricket? If so, when?
Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2024 9:14 am
I set this thread up mostly to accommodate an ongoing discussion I was having with AC that has polluted the Indian Cricket thread. That discussion originally asked whether Ravi Jadeja can be considered an all time great for his record, and whether or not he deserves his place in the Indian all time XI - I said yes, Adi and AC think not... mostly because the relative weakness in modern day cricket making this current era easier to perform in.
The discussion moved on the relative strengths of eras, and whether or not there can be considered a golden era for test cricket, or whether its possible to even measure such a thing. I argued that the often cited golden era of test cricket, the Bradman era, was arguably the worst era in test history for a number of different reasons, and that his average is a symptom of the low quality of test cricket at the time. AC disagreed...
I wondered what other people thought about it in terms of where they see the current game in comparison to its zenith years, when those years are, and why they think that. Feel free to join the discussion.
The last posts to give some context....from AC. This was in reply to my suggestion that the Bradman era was noticeably weak (see Indian Cricket thread for further context if you are interested).
The discussion moved on the relative strengths of eras, and whether or not there can be considered a golden era for test cricket, or whether its possible to even measure such a thing. I argued that the often cited golden era of test cricket, the Bradman era, was arguably the worst era in test history for a number of different reasons, and that his average is a symptom of the low quality of test cricket at the time. AC disagreed...
I wondered what other people thought about it in terms of where they see the current game in comparison to its zenith years, when those years are, and why they think that. Feel free to join the discussion.
The last posts to give some context....from AC. This was in reply to my suggestion that the Bradman era was noticeably weak (see Indian Cricket thread for further context if you are interested).
It's an interesting and persuasive point of view. Especially about the war dead. Though the Don played for many years after that must have no longer been a factor. The lost generation was soon replaced. South Africa I think were a decent side back then. And I'm not sure it all explains why Bradman was so much more successful than anyone else.
The players who grew up in that era and played in the 50s and 60s and became the commentators of my youth, never gave any impression that the Invincibles were a ordinary players made to look good by low general standards. But maybe that's human nature.
But most importantly, I feel sentimentally attached to our shared past, and I don't feel emotionally up to the job of writing off a two generations of cricketers who lived and dreamed! I accept this may not be realistic. And maybe this is just the beginning of my elderly sensibilities. As I say, you make some excellent points though!
I sometimes forget how popular cricket once was, because now it is is a minority sport in UK. Between the wars, cricket was the summer sport and everyone knew who the players were and it was widely played for recreation in towns and villages. Particularly in the north. Even in my lifetime, the Yorkshire league was said to be of a high standard.
With all that cricket being played, and with the benefits of avoiding working in heavy industry, it's possible that standards were higher than we now expect. Cricket wasn't professional in the way we think of it now- players had winter jobs- but the talent pool was much bigger. Anecdotes about whistling down a mine for a fast bowler are fanciful, but may hold a germ of truth.
The footage that exists of Larwood doesn't look like a medium pacer at work. As I've mentioned before, I think he looks like a- shorter- Brett Lee. And I remember when even in middle age, Devon Malcolm was still the fastest bowler in England, suggesting there modernity hadn't brought a democratisation of pace and that real speed is unusual and personal. Malcolm was a graduate of the Derbyshire leagues, not elite coaching.
I say this not to defend the past, but to suggest that the truth might not be found in a relatively extreme view..