In a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a neon pink suit worn by the entertainer. His concert in front of 100,024 spectators was hailed as a major hit.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are excellent while others are terrible.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce music or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon external factors.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which produced a triumph and the another short match of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the patience made during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and responding appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the ground, countless fans made noise and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the fielding side surged, impetus when the top order scored quickly, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with the excitement of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and slow play. The two-day game and that previous match are polar opposites of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be found in them.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the end of Test cricket at all," commented a veteran. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The team responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
Emerging talents delivered with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team congregated on the outfield to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.
