In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a vibrant pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.
The key argument is that amusement can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to create literature or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by the environment.
The elements, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the wicket.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having excessive grass on the surface, resulting in 36 wickets being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the investment made in other matches.
Adjustment: The True Test
Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the top batters were prevented from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the situation and adapting effectively. The best individual scores were made by acknowledged stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the fans who have experienced years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.
There was hope as the attack surged, impetus when the top order scored quickly, and pure joy when the result was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that previous match are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither the standard, yet significance can be found in them.
At this stage into the current series, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"It's not the end of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been experienced some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The team protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to develop from.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd departed into a stunning sunset, the team assembled on the turf to commence their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, boys. It's well deserved.
