Displayed inside a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink suit worn by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of 100,024 spectators was hailed as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't appreciate the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some songs are excellent while others are awful.
The point being is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no one way to create art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon external factors.
The climate, the hour of play, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having a thick layer on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the time devoted in other matches.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are accepted more freely than others.
The argument in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from playing their natural game.
The format is about problem solving – reading the conditions and responding effectively. The top two individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the fans who have experienced years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the ground, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a festive mood in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side surged, momentum when batters fought back, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. In the past, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That match was a slog, with few wickets and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not the standard, yet significance can be ascribed to both.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"Far from being the demise of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The squad responded for him, reinstating the joy to his face.
New faces performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd left into a beautiful night, the squad congregated on the turf to start their own festivities.
Savour the moment, men. You've earned this one.
