Displayed inside a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a electric pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of 100,024 attendees was hailed as a triumph.
You might not enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The central idea is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.
If the format is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which yielded a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Leaving a thick layer on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and counting. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the investment committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are accepted more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the wicket and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class players. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the ground, a sea of people celebrated and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers excelled, impetus when batters fought back, and rapturous celebration when the victory was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a strip with the character of a a non-event.
That contest was a marathon, with limited drama and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more ideal, yet value can be ascribed to each.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the history books.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The team protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to build on.
At the very least, this triumph joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.
