Within a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a electric pink ensemble performed in by the entertainer. The performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a balanced view, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to craft art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by conditions.
The weather, the time of day, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the blank slate on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the pitch which yielded a win and the another short match of the contest.
Having a thick layer on the surface, causing numerous dismissals tumbling in less than two days, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are particularly captivating due to the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the situation and adjusting accordingly. The best individual scores were made by recognized players. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a heartland of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, momentum when players responded, and pure joy when the victory was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the scale – both are not perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the demise of the format at all," commented a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team protected him, bringing back the smile to his persona.
Different players performed with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the outfield to commence their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
