In a display cabinet on the upper level of the MCG is housed a electric pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.
The central idea is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no one way to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The elements, the session, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.
If the format is a form of art, the wicket is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the series.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The format is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and ongoing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling owing to the investment made elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Some factors are accepted more freely than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from playing their natural game.
The format is about problem solving – interpreting the situation and responding effectively. The best individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the fielding side dominated, impetus when batters fought back, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a Test there featured a wicket with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. The two-day game and that previous match are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be found in both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the history books.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been given some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The squad delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but something to use as a platform.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the fans left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the turf to commence their own festivities.
Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.
