Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't appreciate his music. You might think he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to create art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport broken apart and reassembled in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which yielded a victory and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Allowing a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are even more exciting due to the time committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the best players were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and responding effectively. The best individual contributions were made by recognized stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the supporters who have endured 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and sang their songs, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the attack dominated, impetus when the top order scored quickly, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a wicket with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be found in them.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.
"This isn't the end of Test cricket at all," said a past champion. "Fans who have been privileged to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The players delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory joins other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players congregated on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, boys. You've earned this one.
