Within a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a vibrant pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't like Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Or you could adopt a balanced view, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no one way to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by the environment.
The climate, the hour of play, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and reassembled in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the patience committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Some factors are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and responding effectively. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, producing a carnival vibe in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the attack excelled, advantage when the top order fought back, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a non-event.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet value can be attached to both.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been privileged to see these two days have been given some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The players protected him, reinstating the smile to his face.
New faces performed with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to ensure long-term stability, but a starting point to build on.
At the very least, this triumph is added to other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd left into a stunning sunset, the squad congregated on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.
