A justification for test cricket

[templeton]

Ten days off work. A huge pile of unsorted seed bags dried down covering the whole floor of the spare room. Spouse pressure to tidy up the house. A sunny day begging me to work in the garden. But the Boxing Day Test is on the TV - decisions, decisions. Well I can tick 3 of these off - gather up the seed bags (thereby cleaning up the spare room ) plonk down in front of the TV with some big SS mixing bowls, a box of ziplocks, a sharpie and the breeding journal, and sort seeds all day. And the next day. Hope India continue to bat well, and stretch the Test Match to the full 5 days - the spare room will be tidy, the seeds will be cataloged and in storage, and I will have fulfilled some of my required sport-watching days to meet Australian Male Citizenship specifications - the garden can look after itself for a while...
T

[12540dumont]

You mean watching veges grow is not a sport?

[templeton]

Probably watching a gardener trying to grow veges might meet the criteria of engaging sport;
there needs to be a contest - if only with yourself (check),
the result needs to be uncertain (check),
there need to be sufficient pauses when nothing critical happens to allow for sponsors messages (check),
and there should be an associated rich and obscure vocabulary through which aficionados can communicate to the exclusion of non-believers (check).
Merchandise and paraphernalia (in team colors) is a bonus (check),
as is the collection, and discussion, of extensive statistics (check).

T

[12540dumont]

You forgot cheerleaders and team mascots.....

[steev]

Plant your seeds and prune your trees;
Use no poisons; feed the bees;
Eat your veggies!
Raw! Raw! Raw!

Gophers for the opposition's mascot.