'Was That Not a Show?' Why a 48-Hour Fixture Deserved Its Status as a Genuine Test Match.
Displayed inside a glass case on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink outfit performed in by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a success.
Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to create art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the pitch.
If the format is a form of art, the pitch is the canvas on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in abstract form.
This is not a endorsement of the surface which yielded a win and the second two-day Test of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the patience made during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Certain variables are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the wicket and adjusting appropriately. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the fans who have endured a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, countless fans waved their flags and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, advantage when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has form with pitch problems. In the past, a game there featured a strip with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet significance can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the memory.
"This isn't the end of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been experienced some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players delivered with key contributions. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to build on.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters departed into a beautiful night, the squad congregated on the turf to commence their own festivities.
Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.