In a display cabinet on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink outfit worn by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music known to man. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The key argument is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no one way to create literature or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The elements, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the foundation on which the players create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format taken to pieces and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the time devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are embraced more easily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
The format is about problem solving – interpreting the wicket and responding appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a bastion of sport.
There was optimism as the attack excelled, advantage when players scored quickly, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a strip with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the history books.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these short time have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team protected him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Different players stepped up with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to develop from.
At the very least, this MCG win is added to other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
