In a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a neon pink suit worn by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of 100,024 fans was seen as a triumph.
You might not appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music in history. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some hits are belting while others are poor.
The central idea is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The climate, the session, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the wicket.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the pitch which resulted in a win and the another short match of the series.
Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and counting. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting due to the patience devoted elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the wicket and responding appropriately. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged batters. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the attack dominated, momentum when players responded, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a wicket with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – both are not the standard, yet significance can be found in each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the memory.
"Far from being the demise of Test cricket at all," said a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The squad responded for him, reinstating the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents performed with key contributions. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to build on.
Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, men. It's well deserved.
