Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of 100,024 attendees was hailed as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't like his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some songs are belting while others are poor.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the blank slate on which the players create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the series.
Having a thick layer on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are particularly captivating because of the time committed elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Certain variables are accepted more freely than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the conditions and responding appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the MCG, countless fans made noise and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was optimism as the attack dominated, momentum when the top order scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has a history with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That contest was a marathon, with limited drama and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more ideal, yet significance can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The players protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
Emerging talents performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, hardly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to build on.
Ultimately, this triumph joins other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad congregated on the field to begin their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
