In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a neon pink outfit worn by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was hailed as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. You might take a balanced view, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by external factors.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the playing surface.
If the format is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
This is not a justification of the pitch which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the series.
Having a thick layer on the wicket, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating due to the patience committed elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are embraced more freely than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the top batters were unable from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the conditions and responding accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized batters. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Try telling the fans who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and chanted, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the bowlers dominated, momentum when players responded, and rapturous celebration when the win was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a slog, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – one is not more ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
Emerging talents delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but something to develop from.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the field to begin their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
