Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a success.
It's possible you appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no one way to craft literature or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by external factors.
The climate, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the strip is the foundation on which the players craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.
Having excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are particularly captivating due to the investment made during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and responding appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by recognized players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and sang their songs, producing a festive mood in a bastion of national pride.
There was hope as the attack dominated, advantage when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the win was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has a history with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – neither ideal, yet significance can be attached to each.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the demise of the format at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The players delivered for him, restoring the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents delivered with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to build on.
In the end, this triumph takes its place among other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the outfield to start their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, lads. You've earned this one.
