In a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of 100,024 fans was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't like the performer. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some tracks are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that amusement can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no one way to produce literature or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the canvas on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are all the more thrilling due to the patience devoted in other matches.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Some factors are embraced more readily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
The format is about adapting to challenges – reading the situation and responding appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by world-class stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the fans who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people celebrated and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the attack dominated, momentum when batters responded, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has form with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the range – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be found in both.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," said a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these short time have been given some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The players delivered for him, restoring the joy to his face.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph is added to other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the outfield to start their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
