Within a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a neon pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of 100,024 attendees was hailed as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some songs are fantastic while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to craft art or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the hour of play, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the players craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the established format broken apart and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
This is not a justification of the surface which yielded a victory and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Having excessive grass on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and counting. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting due to the time made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Some factors are tolerated more freely than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were hindered from showcasing their talents.
The format is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and adjusting effectively. The best individual contributions were made by recognized batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the MCG, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the fielding side excelled, impetus when the top order responded, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a match there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. The two-day game and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the range – both are not perfect, yet value can be found in each.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The players protected him, restoring the smile to his persona.
Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to develop from.
In the end, this MCG win joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the team assembled on the turf to begin their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, lads. You've earned this one.
