In a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a neon pink outfit performed in by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a triumph.
You might not enjoy his music. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music in history. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The point being is that enjoyment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no one way to craft music or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.
The elements, the session, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the canvas on which the players craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
This is not a justification of the surface which yielded a win and the another short match of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the investment committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Certain variables are embraced more freely than others.
The argument in during the match was that the contest was tipped too far 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 appropriately. The best individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, a sea of people made noise and chanted, producing a festive mood in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers dominated, impetus when the top order scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the victory was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the scale – one is not more ideal, yet value can be found in both.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of the long game at all," said a past champion. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team delivered for him, restoring the smile to his face.
Emerging talents performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to develop from.
In the end, this MCG win joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the fans left into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the field to commence their own festivities.
Savour the moment, men. This victory was hard-fought.
