Displayed inside a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a vibrant pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. The show in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't like his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are awful.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce literature or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which produced a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the investment committed elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.
The format is about problem solving – interpreting the wicket and responding accordingly. The best individual innings were made by recognized batters. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the attack dominated, momentum when the top order responded, and unconditional love when the win was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. The two-day game and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – one is not more ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the memory.
"It's not the death of the format at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The squad responded for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this triumph is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a beautiful night, the squad assembled on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, men. It's well deserved.
