Within a showcase on the upper level of the MCG sits a vibrant pink outfit performed in by Robbie Williams. The show in front of 100,024 attendees was considered a success.
You might not enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The elements, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which resulted in a win and the another short match of the contest.
Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, causing 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the patience devoted during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The True Test
Specific conditions are accepted more freely than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the best players were unable from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about problem solving – assessing the situation and responding accordingly. The top two individual scores were made by world-class players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the supporters who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the ground, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the fielding side surged, impetus when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has form with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a strip with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that slow Test are extreme ends of the scale – both are not the standard, yet significance can be found in both.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the history books.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," commented a former player. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The squad responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces performed with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term success, but a foundation to develop from.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the field to start their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
