Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the MCG is housed a neon pink ensemble worn by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was considered a triumph.
It's possible you enjoy his music. 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 poor.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.
The climate, the session, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the pitch which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Having a thick layer on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating because of the patience devoted during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The True Test
Specific conditions are accepted more freely than others.
The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from playing their natural game.
The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the conditions and adapting effectively. The best individual contributions were made by recognized batters. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the bowlers surged, advantage when players scored quickly, and pure joy when the win was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a slog, with few wickets and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the range – neither perfect, yet value can be ascribed to both.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the history books.
"It's not the death of the format at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The players responded for him, restoring the smile to his countenance.
New faces stepped up with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to build on.
Ultimately, this MCG win joins other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the field to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. It's well deserved.
