Within a showcase on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a major hit.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. You might think he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some hits are belting while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no one way to produce art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.
The elements, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport broken apart and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the investment committed elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Some factors are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about problem solving – interpreting the wicket and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the MCG, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, fostering a festive mood in a stronghold of national pride.
There was optimism as the fielding side dominated, momentum when batters fought back, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That match was a slog, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to them.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"It's not the death of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The players responded for him, reinstating the smile to his face.
Emerging talents delivered with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to develop from.
Ultimately, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the field to start their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, men. You've earned this one.
