Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a vibrant pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of 100,024 spectators was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't like the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are awful.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on conditions.
The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is a form of art, the strip is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Allowing a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting owing to the time made elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more freely than others.
The argument in during the match was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the conditions and responding accordingly. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the fans who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the MCG, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, generating a festive mood in a stronghold of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side surged, advantage when batters responded, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. In the past, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not the standard, yet value can be found in each.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the memory.
"Far from being the death of Test cricket at all," observed a past champion. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The squad protected him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents performed with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this triumph joins other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad congregated on the field to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. It's well deserved.
