Within a showcase on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a electric pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was considered a triumph.
You might not appreciate the performer. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a balanced view, admitting that some hits are fantastic while others are awful.
The point being is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to produce art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by external factors.
The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If the format is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a justification of the pitch which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Leaving a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting owing to the patience devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and adjusting effectively. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the fans who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the MCG, thousands made noise and sang their songs, producing a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, advantage when batters responded, and unconditional love when the result was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a strip with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither the standard, yet value can be found in both.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the memory.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," said a past champion. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team delivered for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his persona.
Emerging talents delivered with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to develop from.
At the very least, this MCG win joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd left into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
