In a display cabinet on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink suit donned by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a major hit.
You might not like Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a balanced view, admitting that some songs are belting while others are poor.
The point being is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to create art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on the environment.
The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the strip is the blank slate on which the athletes craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reconstructed in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which yielded a victory and the another short match of the contest.
Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and ongoing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting owing to the patience committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The True Test
Some factors are accepted more freely than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from playing their natural game.
The format is about problem solving – reading the conditions and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the fielding side surged, momentum when the top order scored quickly, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a grind, with few wickets and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the demise of the format at all," observed a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been experienced some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents delivered with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to secure long-term stability, but something to develop from.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players congregated on the outfield to commence their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, lads. You've earned this one.
