Within a glass case on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a vibrant pink ensemble worn by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a major hit.
It's possible you like the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The central idea is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce literature or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by external factors.
The climate, the hour of play, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format taken to pieces and stuck back together in abstract form.
This is not a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the surface, causing 36 wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not an even battle 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 inauthentic, is mistaken.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting owing to the time committed during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The True Test
Certain variables are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
The format is about problem solving – assessing the wicket and adapting effectively. The top two individual scores were made by recognized players. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have experienced a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and created an atmosphere, producing a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the attack dominated, impetus when players responded, and pure joy when the result was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a strip with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the range – both are not perfect, yet value can be ascribed to each.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of Test cricket at all," commented a veteran. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team delivered for him, restoring the joy to his face.
Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to ensure long-term success, but a starting point to build on.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory is added to other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the field to start their own festivities.
Savour the moment, men. This victory was hard-fought.
