In a time of great uncertainty, upheaval and frustration, how appropriate that Test cricket should provide a reminder of just why it retains the quality of competitive enjoyment.
The 101-run victory achieved by New Zealand over Pakistan at Mt Maunganui in a Test that began on Boxing Day was perfect in every way and a reminder of the great appeal of five-day Test cricket.
What more could you seek than a victory achieved in the final session with the entertainment drawn out to the point where only 4.3 overs remained when the last wicket fell.
It continued the run of a New Zealand team playing with confidence. A combination enjoying the benefits of the finest captain it has produced in Kane Williamson. He is the best batsman the country has seen, who has been able to retain his run-scoring ability without some of the weights earlier captains have had on their shoulders.
He has been able to call on a reliable pace attack with the Tim Southee-Trent Boult led combination. The left-arm variation, and aggression, of Neil Wagner and the welcome all-round quality that the ever-so promising Kyle Jamieson have bolstered the side.
Greater batting consistency from those around him and topping it all, the continuing magnificence of wicketkeeper BJ Watling leaves Williamson commanding a ship whose only flaw is a spinning hole that is a throw-back to New Zealand cricket teams of the past.
While that is a question to be answered, hopefully, sooner rather than later, the last week has also provided some questions beyond New Zealand's shores.
Given the full entertainment quality provided by both Pakistan and New Zealand, why would you ever want to reduce Test match cricket to four days?
While the alleged powerhouses of the world game in Australia and India might be happy to see games go into a fourth day in their series, the fact remains that Test cricket played positively over five days, between sides who have an obvious respect for each other, is a sustainable drawcard.
Poor batting by India, Australia and the West Indies in recent Tests begs the question of whether the game is starting to suffer the consequences of the technique bereft Twenty20.
Application and graft, such as Pakistan demonstrated on a defiant fifth day that nearly saved their game, still has a place in Test cricket. Those qualities are just as important as the ability to blast sixes and fours to all points of the universe in a time-restricted format designed to appeal to the short attention span devotees who are the antithesis of the game's core followers.
But the evidence suggests they are appreciated less on the international stage, and that has to be of genuine concern in the medium term.
It is up to the International Cricket Council to ensure cricket's integrity is not allowed to fall any lower than the point it has now reached.
However, there is no indication that anyone among the higher levels of cricket cares.
Without thinking about the proliferation of Twenty20 retirement fund tournaments for players around the world what else can be clear from the world body’s meaningless piffle surrounding the selections of teams, and players, of the decade?
This sort of bullshit is not the sort of thing that should be of concern to administrators. What is the point of it? Leave that sort of conjecture to the media and fans without attempting to give it official status.
Greater issues need attention. Ironically, some of them come from their choices in the decade awards.
What sort of message are administrators sending when they promote under-punished cheats to positions of impact in so-called exercises of merit in the game? Ah, yes, there is no doubt some sponsorship to be had.
The sad reality is that it is no surprise at all from an organisation that has contributed to the decline in the game's appeal where self-interest has replaced the common good. The ICC requires players to adhere to the Spirit of Cricket. Yet, it adopts the lowest common denominator as the measure of its competence.
In the face of the Mammon-led leadership of cricket, it is hard to believe that the Test game can survive into the future.
But the five-day delight served on the fringe of the cricket world, from the appropriately named Bay of Plenty on New Zealand's North Island, is a sign that perhaps there is some hope after all. We shall see.