Justin Langer: West Indies miracle and Aussie summer overall proves Test cricket lifeblood of the sport

Shamar Joseph is the talk of the town. Rightly so. His last innings effort on Sunday in Brisbane was Herculean, miraculous, brilliant and inspirational. It was one of the greatest ever spells of fast bowling. Words aren’t enough.

Before the day’s play, Ian Bishop and I stood in the middle of the ground talking to West Indian coach Andrey Coley. He told us Shamar was back at the hotel and not able to bowl after being hit on the toe the night before.

As diehard supporters of Test cricket and current commentators, we were disappointed the first Test hero wouldn’t be able to take any part in the game. Who wouldn’t be?

With Shamar available, the West Indies had an outside chance of winning a history making game. Without him they had no chance.

By the time we re-entered the commentary box 45 minutes later, Joseph had miraculously arrived at the Gabba and was warming up in the middle. Bish’ and I looked at each other and thought: “what’s just happened?” We thought he was back at the hotel.

Four hours later, we were still looking at each other and saying” “what just happened?!” Bish had tears in his eyes. I, like millions of others viewing the show, felt warm inside.

In that four-hour period, we not only witnessed history in the making (the first time the West Indies have beaten Australia here in Australia in 29 years) but also a David and Goliath victory that no one saw coming.

When Josh Hazelwood’s off stump cartwheeled out of the ground the emotion was stunning, and in the elation of that moment, I was again reminded of the power of Test cricket.

For years now I have heard test cricket is dying, if it’s not already dead. The earth also used to be flat.

Having been involved in Test cricket in one way or another for over 50 years as a fan, player, coach and commentator, I am blown away every year by the beauty and brilliance of the longest form of the game.

Take this summer alone. Anyone in the know would be lying if they told you they weren’t concerned with what lay ahead. Thank goodness for the complexities of Test cricket.

A largely unknown Pakistan squad reached our shores as unbackable outsiders. Although they lost the series 3-0, they competed with heart and skill and entertained us over Christmas and the new year.

If not for a couple of vital drop catches, who knows what might have happened. Heroes like Aamer Jamal were born and cricket lovers from both countries were made to stand up and take notice.

If the Pakistanis were a cause for concern for the broadcasters and administrators, the West Indies were keeping them awake at night. They needn’t have worried. Test cricket on pitches that share a contest between bat and ball rarely let us down.

Joseph and his debutante mates like Kevin Sinclair — who could forget his acrobatics after taking his first wicket, or his screamer at third slip? — as well as Kirk Mackenzie and others, who proved what talent, passion and playing for your country can do to one’s soul.

After the game Joseph said: “It’s my dream to play Test cricket for the West Indies. I will say live here — and I’m not afraid to say this — there will be times that T20s might come around, and Test cricket will be there … and I will say this live, I will always be available to play for the West Indies, no matter how much money comes towards me. I will always be here to play Test cricket.”

We tend to spend so much time worrying about the players who may choose to go the T20 league route. My view is that if they choose to play that instead of for their country then so be it. A lot of them wouldn’t get chosen to play for lack of technique, concentration, or steel anyway, so why worry?

The others who have paid their dues representing their countries and choose to spend their later years increasing their superannuation with less pressure and time away from their families, should be applauded.

There are other complexities and realities, but there are also enough players who would do anything to represent more than just their bank balances. International cricket lifts and deflates countries, not just tribes, as domestic leagues do.

On the other side of the world, another test debutante Tom Hartley bowled England to an unlikely victory over India. Like Joseph and Sinclair, he is the talk of the cricket world today.

I can guarantee none of these players would have had anywhere near the same exposure if they were playing in a different colour shirt or cap other than their international one.

Tonight, I fly to South Africa for an MCC World Cricket Committee meeting. You can be sure that high on the agenda will be retaining the integrity and balance of international cricket. It always is, because like test cricket, it is important and worth fighting for.