Within a glass case on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a electric pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are belting while others are awful.
The central idea is that entertainment 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
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the investment committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the wicket and adjusting appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class players. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was optimism as the attack dominated, advantage when the top order scored quickly, and pure joy when the win was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the scale – both are not the standard, yet value can be attached to both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the smile to his persona.
Different players delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a foundation to develop from.
At the very least, this triumph is added to other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a beautiful night, the squad assembled on the field to start their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.
