Within a glass case on the upper level of the MCG sits a electric pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. His show in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a major hit.
You might not appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The key argument is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the canvas on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the established format taken to pieces and stuck back together in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the wicket, leading to 36 wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling owing to the time committed elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.
The format is about problem solving – reading the situation and adapting accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by world-class players. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the devotees who have experienced 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the fielding side excelled, momentum when the top order responded, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has form with pitch problems. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a grind, with limited drama and slow play. This recent match and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the scale – neither ideal, yet significance can be ascribed to both.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"Far from being the demise of the format at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been fortunate to see these short time have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The team protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team congregated on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
