In a showcase on the upper level of the MCG sits a electric pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to create music or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by conditions.
The weather, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport dismantled and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which yielded a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Having a thick layer on the pitch, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the investment committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the top batters were unable from showcasing their talents.
The format is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and adjusting effectively. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the devotees who have endured a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, fostering a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the fielding side surged, impetus when batters fought back, and unconditional love when the win was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the scale – both are not ideal, yet value can be ascribed to each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of the format at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team delivered for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this triumph is added to other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad gathered on the outfield to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.
