Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a neon pink suit worn by Robbie Williams. The show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was considered a success.
You might not like Robbie Williams. You might think he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, conceding that some hits are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.
The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the wicket.
If the format is a form of art, the strip is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and reassembled in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which produced a victory and the another short match of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the investment made elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more freely than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were prevented from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the situation and responding accordingly. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the supporters who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans celebrated and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a bastion of sport.
There was belief as the attack dominated, impetus when the top order fought back, and pure joy when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither ideal, yet value can be ascribed to each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the demise of the format at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The squad responded for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players delivered with vital performances. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players congregated on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, men. It's well deserved.
