Within a showcase on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a electric pink outfit worn by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't like the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are fantastic while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft literature or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by the environment.
The climate, the hour of play, the ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the wicket.
If the format is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in abstract form.
This is not a defence of the surface which yielded a triumph and the another short match of the series.
Allowing excessive grass on the pitch, causing 36 wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting because of the time committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Certain variables are accepted more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the conditions and responding effectively. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a bastion of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers excelled, impetus when players responded, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a marathon, with minimal action and endless boredom. The two-day game and that slow Test are extreme ends of the scale – both are not ideal, yet value can be found in them.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the memory.
"This isn't the demise of the format at all," said a past champion. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these two days have been treated to some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: 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 team delivered for him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
New faces stepped up with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but something to develop from.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory joins other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, boys. It's well deserved.
