In a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink suit performed in by the entertainer. The concert in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to create art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.
The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If the format is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the great game dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
This is not a defence of the surface which yielded a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.
Having excessive grass on the surface, leading to 36 wickets falling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the time committed in other matches.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by recognized batters. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans celebrated and chanted, fostering a festive mood in a bastion of sport.
There was optimism as the attack excelled, impetus when batters fought back, and pure joy when the win was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a a non-event.
That fixture was a grind, with few wickets and interminable tedium. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – one is not more perfect, yet value can be attached to each.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.
"This isn't the demise of the format at all," observed a veteran. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been experienced some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The squad responded for him, reinstating the joy to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to ensure long-term success, but something to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players congregated on the field to begin their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, men. It's well deserved.
