Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a electric pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. The show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was considered a major hit.
It's possible you enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some songs are belting while others are poor.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by conditions.
The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is a form of art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing excessive grass on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The format is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the patience devoted elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – assessing the situation and adapting effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged batters. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the supporters who have endured 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a heartland of sport.
There was optimism as the attack surged, impetus when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that previous match are extreme ends of the scale – neither the standard, yet significance can be found in each.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," observed a former player. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been experienced some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The squad protected him, reinstating the smile to his face.
Different players delivered with key contributions. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to develop from.
Ultimately, this triumph joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the team gathered on the field to commence their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
