Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a neon pink suit worn by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of 100,024 fans was considered a success.
You might not appreciate Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.
The central idea is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to create art or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by external factors.
The weather, the hour of play, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the pitch, causing 36 wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are even more exciting due to the time committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and responding effectively. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have experienced years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and sang their songs, generating a festive mood in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the fielding side excelled, advantage when players responded, and pure joy when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a strip with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with limited drama and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – neither perfect, yet significance can be found in them.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the memory.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The players delivered for him, restoring the smile to his face.
New faces delivered with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
In the end, this triumph is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. You've earned this one.
