CAPE TOWN - AN ecstatic Mohammed Siraj runs past a shell-shocked James Anderson, who is still holding his stance, to grab the stump he has just knocked over.
The rest of the Indian players – bar captain Virat Kohli who has sprinted off in any which way - converge on to the Lord's pitch in a manic dash to collect the remaining pieces of timber for their own piece of memorabilia.
It is these crazy scenes that are cherished by everyone inside the hallowed old ground, especially during these Covid-19 times when just being a spectator at a live sports match is a privilege in its own right.
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In a time zone far away in Jamaica there was nobody at Sabina Park, bar the grounds staff and television crew who could appreciate an equally riveting climax.
But their shrieks of delight alone could be heard vibrating all through the islands after tail-ender Kemar Roach and last man Jayden Sales edged the West Indies over the line against Pakistan.
Two epic Test matches played on the opposite ends of the globe within 24 hours of each other. And yet the cynics continue to predict its death.
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There is no running away from the fact that Test cricket has been on a ventilator for the longest time. Outside of England, and possibly Australia, primarily due to Generation X's nostalgic memories of Boxing Day and New Year Tests, the longest format has admittedly struggled to lure a new generation of fans through the turnstiles even prior to Covid-19.
The popularity of franchise T20 leagues which have mushroomed all around the world in addition to the England's latest “gift” to cricket, namely the Hundred, will only increase the pressure on a format that battles to remain relevant with a generation that enjoys everything instant.
The introduction of the ICC Test Championship has provided greater context, and now that the qualification process has been streamlined, it will garner greater interest.
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But the ICC does need a forum that addresses the direction of Test cricket, for it remains a theatrical drama that cannot be scripted.
The final day of the second Test between England and India at Lord's on Monday was a gripping contest between two teams that were not willing to give an inch. When the one landed a punch, the other would counter-attack by throwing another two – just like Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah did with their 89-run unbroken stand for the ninth wicket.
Test cricket remains not just an adjudicator of skill, but also temperament and character filled with sub-plots that only it can generate.
There was a feeling that the bacon-and-egg ties around the necks of those sitting in the Members Stand grew tighter after every Kohli verbal exchange - none more so than when the Indian captain waved his finger at Jos Buttler in the dying moments.
If ever there was a sign that England were no longer the masters of one of it's most treasured colonies, it was at this juncture. And it was happening at regal Lord's of all places.
Test cricket's flame is still burning brightly. And it will for a long time yet.
@ZaahierAdams
IOL Sport
