Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a electric pink ensemble worn by Robbie Williams. His show in front of 100,024 fans was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't appreciate his music. You might think he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some songs are belting while others are terrible.
The central idea is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to produce literature or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by conditions.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the foundation on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport dismantled and reassembled in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing excessive grass on the surface, leading to 36 wickets falling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating due to the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the conditions and adapting accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by world-class stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have suffered 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the ground, thousands made noise and chanted, producing a festive mood in a heartland of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, advantage when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a game there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.
That contest was a grind, with few wickets and slow play. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be found in them.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the death of the format at all," observed a past champion. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The team delivered for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the outfield to begin their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, men. It's well deserved.
