A Test Match result is best understood as a part of the series result.The recent Ashes had at least four one sided result and one test match was won by England with a significant margin.However, the series result at 3-2 made for a closely contested series in that the series went to the last test match to decide the winner.In most other sport a close contest is within the period of the match, say 60-70 minutes in Hockey or 90 minutes in football.A one way win makes the match boring except for the devoted partisan supporters.In cricket, the series provides a greater context and there are test points and records which keep even the neutral fans interested. A tennis five setter, is the nearest parallel, at least in the cricket following world.At times, players conserve energy in sets they know that can't be retrieved to bounce back in the next set.A five setter between Roscoe Tanner and Borg in 1979 Wimbledon finals was close and interesting, even though a few sets were not so closely fought.
The context adds to the rivalry in cricket and Tennis and even one sided contests can be enjoyed, over an evening in tennis or a wole month and a half in cricket.
