Displayed inside a glass case on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't like Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.
The key argument is that amusement can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce music or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The elements, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
This is not a endorsement of the pitch which produced a triumph and the another short match of the contest.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The format is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the time made in other matches.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Some factors are embraced more easily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – assessing the wicket and adapting appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized players. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the devotees who have endured a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the ground, a sea of people celebrated and sang their songs, fostering a festive mood in a bastion of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers excelled, advantage when the top order scored quickly, and pure joy when the result was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has a history with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That contest was a grind, with limited drama and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the scale – both are not perfect, yet value can be attached to both.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The players protected him, restoring the joy to his persona.
New faces stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to develop from.
At the very least, this MCG win joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the turf to commence their own festivities.
Savour the moment, men. You've earned this one.
