Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a vibrant pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you like Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music known to man. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are belting while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on external factors.
The climate, the session, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the cricketers create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport dismantled and reconstructed in abstract form.
This is not a justification of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the contest.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The format is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are particularly captivating due to the patience devoted elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the situation and adjusting appropriately. The best individual contributions were made by acknowledged stars. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and sang their songs, fostering a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side surged, advantage when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the result was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be found in both.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the death of the long game at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The squad protected him, reinstating the smile to his persona.
New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a foundation to build on.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the field to begin their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.
