In a glass case on the upper level of the MCG rests a vibrant pink outfit performed in by the entertainer. The show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a success.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some hits are excellent while others are awful.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The elements, the session, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which resulted in a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Allowing a thick layer on the pitch, causing 36 wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and ongoing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are particularly captivating due to the investment made in other matches.
Adjustment: The True Test
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the conditions and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the supporters who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a heartland of national pride.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, momentum when players scored quickly, and pure joy when the result was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That contest was a marathon, with few wickets and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the scale – one is not more ideal, yet historical weight can be found in them.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.
"This isn't the demise of the format at all," observed a past champion. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these two days have been experienced some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The team protected him, restoring the smile to his face.
Emerging talents performed with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term success, but something to build on.
In the end, this triumph takes its place among other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans left into a beautiful night, the squad gathered on the field to start their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.
