'Was That Not a Show?' Why a Two-Day Test Was No Less a Genuine Test.
In a display cabinet on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. His show in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a success.
It's possible you like Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is not a single method to create music or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the pitch.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the canvas on which the players craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
This is not a justification of the surface which produced a win and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Allowing a thick layer on the pitch, causing 36 wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the time devoted elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are accepted more easily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were unable from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about finding solutions – assessing the wicket and responding accordingly. The two highest individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the ground, a sea of people made noise and sang their songs, fostering a festive mood in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the attack dominated, impetus when batters scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. The two-day game and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the range – neither ideal, yet value can be found in them.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the demise of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The players responded for him, restoring the smile to his face.
New faces performed with vital performances. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but something to build on.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory joins other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team assembled on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
