Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the MCG is housed a electric pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a success.
It's possible you enjoy the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no one way to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on external factors.
The elements, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the canvas on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Allowing excessive grass on the surface, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are even more exciting due to the investment committed elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were unable from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about adapting to challenges – reading the conditions and adjusting accordingly. The two highest individual contributions were made by recognized players. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the fans who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the stadium, thousands celebrated and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side surged, momentum when the top order responded, and unconditional love when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with controversial surfaces. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – one is not more perfect, yet value can be attached to each.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the memory.
"Far from being the death of the long game at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been experienced some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The players delivered for him, restoring the joy to his countenance.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the outfield to start their own festivities.
Savour the moment, boys. It's well deserved.
