Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink outfit performed in by Robbie Williams. The show in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a balanced view, admitting that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to craft art or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the wicket.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which yielded a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the wicket, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling owing to the investment made in other matches.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.
The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the conditions and responding accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by world-class batters. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of national pride.
There was optimism as the attack surged, impetus when batters responded, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that previous match are polar opposites of the scale – both are not ideal, yet significance can be attached to both.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some genuine drama. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The squad responded for him, reinstating the joy to his face.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to secure long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the turf to start their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, men. You've earned this one.
