In a showcase on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a neon pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. The show in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music in history. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create literature or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.
If the format is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and counting. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the time made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the conditions and adjusting accordingly. The two highest individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the ground, a sea of people celebrated and created an atmosphere, producing a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was hope as the attack surged, momentum when batters responded, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has form with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That contest was a grind, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – neither the standard, yet significance can be found in them.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the history books.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," observed a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to use as a platform.
In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the outfield to start their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, men. This victory was hard-fought.
