In a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a neon pink ensemble worn by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a major hit.
You might not like Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft music or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is a form of art, the strip is the blank slate on which the players create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the patience committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Specific conditions are embraced more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – reading the conditions and responding appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the devotees who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and chanted, fostering a festive mood in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the attack surged, momentum when batters fought back, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a grind, with limited drama and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be found in both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the memory.
"This isn't the end of the format at all," commented a former player. "Fans who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The players delivered for him, bringing back the joy to his countenance.
Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to build on.
In the end, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the turf to commence their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
