Within a glass case on the third floor of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink outfit performed in by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a success.
You might not like Robbie Williams. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, conceding that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no one way to craft art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the wicket.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which yielded a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the patience made during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Some factors are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the situation and adapting accordingly. The best individual contributions were made by world-class batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the MCG, a sea of people celebrated and chanted, producing a festive mood in a bastion of sport.
There was hope as the attack excelled, momentum when batters fought back, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has form with pitch problems. In the past, a Test there featured a strip with the excitement of a a non-event.
That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the scale – neither the standard, yet significance can be ascribed to both.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.
"This isn't the demise of the format at all," observed a past champion. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been experienced some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The squad delivered for him, bringing back the smile to his persona.
New faces performed with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players congregated on the turf to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
