Within a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a electric pink suit performed in by the entertainer. His show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was considered a success.
It's possible you like Robbie Williams. You might think he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some hits are excellent while others are poor.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to create music or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the canvas on which the players create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the surface which produced a triumph and the another short match of the contest.
Having a thick layer on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than two days, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting owing to the time committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and responding appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, thousands celebrated and chanted, generating a festive mood in a stronghold of sport.
There was hope as the attack excelled, advantage when batters responded, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the scale – both are not perfect, yet historical weight can be found in them.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the demise of Test cricket at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these two days have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The squad protected him, restoring the smile to his countenance.
New faces performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term stability, but a foundation to develop from.
Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the turf to begin their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. It's well deserved.
