Displayed inside a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a vibrant pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of 100,024 fans was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to produce literature or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.
If the format is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport broken apart and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which yielded a victory and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having a thick layer on the surface, causing numerous dismissals tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and responding effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized players. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the devotees who have experienced 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and chanted, producing a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, advantage when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has a history with pitch problems. In the past, a match there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a slog, with few wickets and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are extreme ends of the range – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be found in them.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the end of the format at all," observed a former player. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The squad responded for him, restoring the smile to his countenance.
Different players delivered with key contributions. These are small positives, not nearly enough to secure long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.
