Within a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG sits a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some hits are excellent while others are poor.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no one way to produce literature or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.
The elements, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is a form of art, the wicket is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
This is not a justification of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and counting. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the time committed elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – assessing the situation and adjusting effectively. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the fans who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, generating a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was optimism as the fielding side dominated, advantage when batters 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 excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that previous match are extreme ends of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet significance can be ascribed to both.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the demise of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been privileged to see these two days have been given some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, bringing back the smile to his countenance.
Different players stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.
In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the team gathered on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, men. You've earned this one.
