Within a glass case on the third floor of the MCG sits a neon pink outfit performed in by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of a massive crowd of spectators was seen as a success.
You might not enjoy his music. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are awful.
The central idea is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is not a single method to produce art or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon external factors.
The elements, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the wicket.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the canvas on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, leading to 36 wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and still growing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the patience committed elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Some factors are embraced more easily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from playing their natural game.
The format is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the wicket and responding effectively. The best individual scores were made by recognized stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the fans who have endured a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans celebrated and sang their songs, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the attack excelled, advantage when batters responded, and pure joy when the win was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a Test there featured a wicket with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a slog, with few wickets and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – one is not more ideal, yet significance can be found in them.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the memory.
"Far from being the demise of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these short time have been experienced some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team protected him, bringing back the joy to his countenance.
Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term success, but something to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team congregated on the outfield to commence their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
