Re: Bootnote
@Harvey Trowell re:Bootnote
I believe you are correct. The Ryder Cup can be drawn but in that case the defending team keeps the cup so has sort of won anyway. Major golf tournaments last 4 days with an outright winner decided by playoffs if there are equal lowest scores after 72 holes.
However, I think that if the weather prevents a result then the trophies may be shared. Modern cricket isn't that dissimilar in that draws generally happen because the weather prevents 5 full days of cricket, you don't get many draws after 5 full days.
Golf isn't a bad analogy in that the duration is part of the brilliance. In many ways I don't try and defend the time that test match cricket takes because that is the point. In major golf you can have a great 18 holes but you have to keep that going for 54 more over the next three days with increasing pressure. Cricket is even better, you can play well for a period, but you have to keep playing well (or not screw up) for 5 days under massive pressure, more so in The Ashes. Things don't always happen, but when they do it's huge because it isn't guaranteed and can change so much. One moment can decide 5 days of efforts.