In a glass case on the third floor of the MCG rests a electric pink ensemble worn by Robbie Williams. His show in front of 100,024 fans was considered a triumph.
You might not appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music known to man. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, conceding that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to create music or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the session, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the wicket.
If the long game 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 Test cricket cubism, the established format taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
This is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the wicket, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting because of the investment made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from showcasing their talents.
The format is about adapting to challenges – assessing the situation and adjusting appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the ground, thousands waved their flags and chanted, producing a festive mood in a bastion of national pride.
There was belief as the bowlers dominated, impetus when players responded, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with pitch problems. In the past, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.
That contest was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are extreme ends of the range – one is not more perfect, yet value can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the end of the format at all," observed a former player. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been given some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The players delivered for him, bringing back the joy to his countenance.
New faces delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, hardly enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to build on.
In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team assembled on the outfield to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, boys. You've earned this one.
