Displayed inside a glass case on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink ensemble worn by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was seen as a major hit.
You might not enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, conceding that some hits are belting while others are terrible.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to craft art or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the wicket.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the established format broken apart and reassembled in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the wicket which produced a victory and the another short match of the series.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. Other times, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the time devoted in other matches.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the top batters were unable from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and responding appropriately. The best individual scores were made by recognized batters. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the ground, thousands made noise and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, impetus when the top order responded, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has form with pitch problems. In the past, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the scale – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be found in both.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"It's not the death of the format at all," said a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these short time have been experienced some genuine drama. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to secure long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad assembled on the turf to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.
