Within a display cabinet on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a electric pink outfit performed in by the entertainer. His show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the wicket.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport broken apart and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the pitch which yielded a victory and the second two-day Test of the series.
Having a thick layer on the wicket, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling owing to the time devoted elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the situation and adapting effectively. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have endured a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, momentum when batters responded, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more ideal, yet historical weight can be found in them.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the death of Test cricket at all," said a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The team delivered for him, restoring the joy to his persona.
Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to ensure long-term success, but a starting point to build on.
Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team congregated on the turf to begin their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, boys. It's well deserved.
