Displayed inside a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a neon pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. The show in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a success.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some hits are belting while others are terrible.
The point being is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The elements, the session, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the wicket.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
This is not a justification of the wicket which produced a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting because of the investment made elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Certain variables are embraced more easily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the wicket and adapting appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized players. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the devotees who have experienced a long drought that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans waved their flags and sang their songs, producing a carnival vibe in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the attack surged, momentum when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. In the past, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – both are not perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," observed a past champion. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The team protected him, reinstating the joy to his persona.
Different players performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
In the end, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a beautiful night, the team gathered on the field to start their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.
