In a glass case on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a neon pink outfit worn by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of a massive crowd of spectators was considered a success.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The central idea is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to produce music or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon external factors.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the list is endless. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the great game dismantled and reassembled in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which produced a victory and the another short match of the contest.
Leaving a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting owing to the patience committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and adapting effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the stadium, countless fans celebrated and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.
There was optimism as the fielding side surged, impetus when the top order scored quickly, and pure joy when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a strip with all the life 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 – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be found in each.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of the format at all," said a past champion. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been given some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The players protected him, bringing back the joy to his face.
Different players stepped up with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this triumph takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team congregated on the turf to commence their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.
