Within a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a vibrant pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was seen as a success.
It's possible you like Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music known to man. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to craft literature or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and reassembled in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Allowing a thick layer on the wicket, resulting in 36 wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest 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 illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the time made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were unable from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and adapting appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by recognized stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the MCG, thousands made noise and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, advantage when players responded, and rapturous celebration when the victory was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the scale – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be found in them.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the memory.
"Far from being the demise of Test cricket at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the smile to his face.
Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to build on.
Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd left into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, men. It's well deserved.
