Within a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a vibrant pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to create art or even Test 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 dictated by external factors.
The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the canvas on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Having a thick layer on the surface, causing numerous dismissals tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The format is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating because of the investment committed in other matches.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and adjusting accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the supporters who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the MCG, thousands celebrated and sang their songs, producing a carnival vibe in a stronghold of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, momentum when players responded, and rapturous celebration when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has a history with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be found in both.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the history books.
"This isn't the demise of the long game at all," observed a past champion. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The squad delivered for him, restoring the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents performed with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to build on.
At the very least, this MCG win joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players gathered on the turf to begin their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.
