Within a showcase on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a vibrant pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music in history. You might take a balanced view, conceding that some songs are belting while others are awful.
The point being is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft music or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by external factors.
The elements, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the canvas on which the athletes create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game taken to pieces and reconstructed in abstract form.
This is not a endorsement of the surface which resulted in a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Having a thick layer on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the investment made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are accepted more freely than others.
The debate in during the match was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the wicket and responding appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized batters. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and sang their songs, producing a carnival vibe in a bastion of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side surged, momentum when batters responded, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a a non-event.
That contest was a slog, with few wickets and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – neither the standard, yet significance can be found in them.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the memory.
"It's not the demise of the format at all," observed a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The players protected him, reinstating the joy to his face.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd departed into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the turf to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
