In a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a vibrant pink suit worn by Robbie Williams. The show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was seen as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some songs are belting while others are terrible.
The central idea is that entertainment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to create art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.
The weather, the session, the ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport broken apart and stuck back together in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having a thick layer on the pitch, causing 36 wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting due to the time committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Certain variables are embraced more easily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the top batters were unable from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and responding accordingly. The top two individual scores were made by world-class stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the attack surged, impetus when players responded, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a match there featured a wicket with all the life of a a non-event.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be found in them.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The squad responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to build on.
At the very least, this MCG win joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the team gathered on the turf to begin their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
