World

Dear Test cricket, I stayed up

Newlands, Cape Town. Saturday morning, before the first ball. Marnus Labuschagne crouches on his haunches at the edge of the outfield, waiting to bat. Australia need 288 to win the Test and the series. In the first innings he made a five-ball duck. He has scored 11 Test hundreds, and the last came at Old Trafford in July 2023. For a stretch he was the best batter in the world. He stands, walks to the middle, and takes guard. He will face three balls. I have not stopped thinking about them. Nothi