'Did It Not Captivate?' The Reason a 48-Hour Test Was No Less a Authentic Test Match.
In a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a electric pink ensemble performed in by the entertainer. His show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a triumph.
You might not appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.
The key argument is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the pitch which yielded a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing excessive grass on the pitch, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the time devoted elsewhere.
Adjustment: The True Test
Certain variables are accepted more readily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the best players were unable from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and adapting effectively. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the fans who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people celebrated and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of sport.
There was hope as the attack dominated, momentum when batters fought back, and unconditional love when the result was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with few wickets and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the scale – both are not the standard, yet value can be attached to each.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," observed a past champion. "Fans who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The players delivered for him, restoring the joy to his countenance.
Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but something to build on.
In the end, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a beautiful night, the squad congregated on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, men. You've earned this one.