Displayed inside a showcase on the upper level of the MCG is housed a electric pink ensemble worn by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of 100,024 spectators was hailed as a major hit.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, admitting that some tracks are belting while others are awful.
The central idea is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce art or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and reconstructed in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which yielded a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, leading to 36 wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating owing to the investment made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were hindered from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the situation and responding accordingly. The two highest individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the fans who have endured a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the ground, countless fans celebrated and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a heartland of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, advantage when players scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the win was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. In the past, a game there featured a strip with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more ideal, yet historical weight can be found in each.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," observed a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, restoring the joy to his face.
Emerging talents performed with key contributions. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the outfield to begin their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.
