Displayed inside a showcase on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a electric pink suit donned by Robbie Williams. The show in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a success.
You might not enjoy his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. You might take a balanced view, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the playing surface.
If the format is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the players craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format taken to pieces and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
This is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the surface, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are even more exciting due to the time devoted during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are accepted more easily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the situation and responding effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by recognized players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a festive mood in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the bowlers dominated, momentum when batters fought back, and pure joy when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the scale – neither perfect, yet value can be attached to them.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the memory.
"Far from being the death of the long game at all," observed a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The squad protected him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the team congregated on the turf to commence their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
