In a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a success.
It's possible you like Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music known to man. You might take a reasonable stance, admitting that some songs are belting while others are terrible.
The point being is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to create literature or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The climate, the session, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the surface which produced a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, causing numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the time made in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the wicket and adjusting effectively. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized stars. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the fans who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans made noise and chanted, producing a festive mood in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side dominated, advantage when players fought back, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with few wickets and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the range – both are not ideal, yet value can be attached to them.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"This isn't the death of the long game at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The players responded for him, bringing back the smile to his face.
Emerging talents stepped up with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to secure long-term success, but something to develop from.
Ultimately, this triumph joins other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, men. This victory was hard-fought.
