Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink suit worn by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of 100,024 attendees was hailed as a success.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some songs are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create literature or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by conditions.
The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the surface which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Leaving excessive grass on the wicket, causing numerous dismissals falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are all the more thrilling due to the investment made in other matches.
Adjustment: The True Test
Specific conditions are accepted more freely than others.
The contention in during the match was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about problem solving – assessing the situation and adapting effectively. The best individual innings were made by recognized players. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the stadium, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, producing a carnival vibe in a bastion of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers dominated, impetus when batters responded, and rapturous celebration when the result was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a Test there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be found in them.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the memory.
"This isn't the demise of the format at all," said a past champion. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The players responded for him, bringing back the smile to his persona.
New faces performed with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to ensure long-term success, but something to develop from.
At the very least, this triumph joins other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad congregated on the outfield to start their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
