Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink suit donned by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a triumph.
You might not appreciate Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music in history. You might take a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are excellent while others are poor.
The point being is that amusement can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to produce art or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the wicket.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the pitch which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the surface, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the investment committed elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were prevented from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – reading the situation and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the supporters who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the ground, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers excelled, advantage when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a Test there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a non-event.
That fixture was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be found in each.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the death of the long game at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The squad responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
In the end, this triumph joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the field to start their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, lads. It's well deserved.
