In a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a vibrant pink suit worn by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was considered a major hit.
Perhaps you don't appreciate the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. You might take a reasonable stance, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are poor.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by the environment.
The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the established format taken to pieces and stuck back together in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which produced a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing excessive grass on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: 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 varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and ongoing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the patience made elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about finding solutions – reading the wicket and adjusting appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized players. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the fans who have suffered 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the ground, countless fans celebrated and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the fielding side excelled, advantage when batters fought back, and unconditional love when the result was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a slog, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – neither ideal, yet value can be attached to them.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," said a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The players protected him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces performed with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a foundation to develop from.
In the end, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the field to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, lads. You've earned this one.
