Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the MCG sits a vibrant pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. His show in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a major hit.
It's possible you enjoy Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, admitting that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft music or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon external factors.
The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the playing surface.
If the long game is a form of art, the strip is the foundation on which the players create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which produced a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.
Allowing excessive grass on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are particularly captivating because of the time made elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more freely than others.
The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – reading the conditions and adapting effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by recognized stars. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the fans who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the MCG, thousands made noise and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the fielding side dominated, advantage when batters scored quickly, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a a non-event.
That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the scale – one is not more ideal, yet significance can be found in them.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the end of the long game at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the smile to his face.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to develop from.
In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team congregated on the outfield to start their own festivities.
Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
