Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a electric pink ensemble worn by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a triumph.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to craft art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on conditions.
The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and reassembled in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the contest.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the patience devoted during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the balance was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were prevented from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class players. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have endured 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, thousands celebrated and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was belief as the bowlers dominated, impetus when batters responded, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a grind, with few wickets and endless boredom. The two-day game and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet value can be found in them.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the death of the format at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been fortunate to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The players protected him, reinstating the joy to his countenance.
Emerging talents performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but something to develop from.
In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.
