In a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a neon pink suit worn by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was considered a success.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to create art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by external factors.
The climate, the hour of play, the ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the pitch.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
This is not a justification of the pitch which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Having a thick layer on the wicket, causing 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling owing to the investment committed in other matches.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are accepted more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.
The format is about problem solving – interpreting the situation and responding accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the fans who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, impetus when players fought back, and pure joy when the victory was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with controversial surfaces. In the past, a Test there featured a wicket with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a slog, with few wickets and slow play. This recent match and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the demise of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The squad protected him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
Ultimately, this triumph joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, men. You've earned this one.
