In a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a electric pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of a massive crowd of spectators was seen as a triumph.
You might not like his music. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are terrible.
The central idea is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to craft music or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.
The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format broken apart and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving excessive grass on the wicket, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and ongoing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting because of the patience devoted during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the balance was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and adapting accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by recognized batters. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the MCG, thousands made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the attack surged, momentum when players responded, and rapturous celebration when the win was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be found in each.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the history books.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The players protected him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to secure long-term stability, but a starting point to develop from.
In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players congregated on the field to start their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.
