Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, admitting that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to produce literature or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the session, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the wicket.
If the format is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport broken apart and stuck back together in abstract form.
This is not a endorsement of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the contest.
Having a thick layer on the surface, resulting in 36 wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the investment committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were prevented from playing their natural game.
The format is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and responding accordingly. The top two individual scores were made by recognized batters. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the fans who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the ground, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the attack dominated, impetus when batters responded, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with few wickets and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be found in each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," observed a past champion. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The players protected him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, men. This victory was hard-fought.
