Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a neon pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music in history. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The central idea is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon external factors.
The elements, the hour of play, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the players create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
This is not a endorsement of the surface which produced a win and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, resulting in 36 wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and ongoing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the patience committed elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are embraced more easily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and responding appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the ground, a sea of people celebrated and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers surged, advantage when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with pitch problems. In the past, a Test there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the scale – neither perfect, yet value can be found in both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"Far from being the demise of the format at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team responded for him, bringing back the smile to his face.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a starting point to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the outfield to commence their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, men. This victory was hard-fought.
