In a display cabinet on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a neon pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you like the performer. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music known to man. You might take a balanced view, conceding that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create art or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the surface which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Having a thick layer on the surface, leading to 36 wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The format is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the time devoted elsewhere.
Adjustment: The True Test
Certain variables are embraced more freely than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was tipped too far towards the attack. That the best players were unable from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized players. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the devotees who have experienced 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the MCG, thousands waved their flags and chanted, generating a festive mood in a stronghold of sport.
There was optimism as the fielding side surged, advantage when the top order scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the range – both are not perfect, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the memory.
"Far from being the death of the long game at all," observed a past champion. "Fans who have been privileged to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The squad responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his face.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the team gathered on the field to commence their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
