In a showcase on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink ensemble performed in by the entertainer. The show in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a triumph.
You might not like Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format taken to pieces and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
This is not a endorsement of the surface which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the series.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the surface, causing 36 wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the time made elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about problem solving – reading the situation and adjusting effectively. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have experienced a long drought that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the MCG, thousands made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a carnival vibe in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the fielding side dominated, momentum when players fought back, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a grind, with limited drama and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither the standard, yet value can be found in both.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the history books.
"Far from being the end of the format at all," observed a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the joy to his countenance.
New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to use as a platform.
In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the turf to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
