In a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a neon pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was hailed as a triumph.
You might not enjoy his music. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music known to man. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are awful.
The point being is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to craft literature or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the strip is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the established format dismantled and reassembled in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the pitch which yielded a win and the another short match of the series.
Having excessive grass on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The format is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and ongoing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating due to the investment made elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Some factors are accepted more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and adjusting effectively. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the fans who have experienced a long drought that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the stadium, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was optimism as the attack excelled, impetus when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – both are not ideal, yet significance can be ascribed to each.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The squad protected him, restoring the joy to his face.
New faces stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to develop from.
At the very least, this triumph joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd slipped away into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the field to start their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
