Within a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG sits a neon pink suit donned by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a major hit.
It's possible you enjoy the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, acknowledging that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.
The elements, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the wicket.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, causing 36 wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting because of the investment committed elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about finding solutions – reading the situation and responding accordingly. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, impetus when players responded, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with few wickets and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – neither the standard, yet significance can be found in them.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the demise of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the joy to his countenance.
New faces delivered with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to ensure long-term success, but something to build on.
Ultimately, this triumph takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd slipped away into a stunning sunset, the team gathered on the outfield to commence their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, boys. You've earned this one.
