Within a showcase on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a electric pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. The show in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a major hit.
You might not appreciate his music. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to craft literature or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The elements, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
This is not a justification of the wicket which produced a win and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the wicket, leading to 36 wickets falling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating because of the patience devoted elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Some factors are accepted more freely than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the wicket and adjusting effectively. The best individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, countless fans made noise and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a stronghold of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, advantage when the top order scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. The two-day game and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more ideal, yet value can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"This isn't the end of Test cricket at all," observed a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The players protected him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Different players performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but a foundation to build on.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players gathered on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. You've earned this one.
