Displayed inside a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a vibrant pink ensemble worn by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was considered a major hit.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is not a single method to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon external factors.
The elements, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Having excessive grass on the pitch, leading to 36 wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the time made elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – reading the conditions and adapting effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by acknowledged stars. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands celebrated and created an atmosphere, generating a festive mood in a bastion of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, momentum when players fought back, and pure joy when the victory was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with controversial surfaces. In the past, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. The two-day game and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – one is not more perfect, yet value can be attached to each.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the memory.
"Far from being the death of Test cricket at all," observed a past champion. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The squad protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are small positives, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players assembled on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. It's well deserved.
