In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink outfit performed in by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a massive crowd of fans was hailed as a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, conceding that some songs are excellent while others are awful.
The point being is that amusement can take many forms. You like what you like. There is not a single method to produce music or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by the environment.
The weather, the session, the ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
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.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the surface which produced a victory and the another short match of the series.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the wicket, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating because of the investment made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are embraced more easily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about finding solutions – assessing the situation and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by world-class players. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the stadium, thousands made noise and chanted, generating a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the attack excelled, impetus when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a Test there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the scale – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to them.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the end of the format at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been privileged to see these two days have been given some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The squad delivered for him, bringing back the joy to his countenance.
Different players stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the field to begin their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
