Within a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG is housed a electric pink outfit performed in by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a success.
It's possible you appreciate the performer. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music in history. You might take a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are belting while others are awful.
The point being is that amusement can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no one way to create music or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the pitch which yielded a victory and the another short match of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating owing to the patience committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the top batters were unable from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the situation and adapting effectively. The top two individual innings were made by world-class batters. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have endured a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, thousands made noise and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a stronghold of national pride.
There was belief as the attack excelled, momentum when players scored quickly, and pure joy when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a slog, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be attached to them.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the history books.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," observed a past champion. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The players protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces stepped up with key contributions. These are baby steps, hardly enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the turf to start their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
