Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a neon pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a major hit.
It's possible you like Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music in history. You might take a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are awful.
The point being is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.
The climate, the hour of play, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the wicket.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the canvas on which the players craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and reassembled in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which produced a win and the another short match of the series.
Having excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the time committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the situation and adapting accordingly. The best individual contributions were made by world-class players. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the bowlers dominated, momentum when batters responded, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a non-event.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the death of the format at all," observed a former player. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been experienced some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The players responded for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Different players performed with key contributions. These are small positives, not nearly enough to ensure long-term success, but something to develop from.
Ultimately, this triumph joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans left into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, men. You've earned this one.
