Within a glass case on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a vibrant pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was seen as a success.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some hits are belting while others are terrible.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to create art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the surface which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the wicket, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting owing to the patience devoted elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more easily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were prevented from playing their natural game.
The format is about adapting to challenges – reading the conditions and adapting appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people celebrated and created an atmosphere, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, momentum when players scored quickly, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to them.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the history books.
"Far from being the death of the long game at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The squad protected him, reinstating the joy to his face.
Different players delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to develop from.
Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the field to commence their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, lads. It's well deserved.
