In a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink ensemble worn by the entertainer. His show in front of 100,024 spectators was hailed as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't like Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music in history. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The central idea is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create literature or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.
The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the wicket.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which produced a victory and the another short match of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, 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 even more exciting due to the patience committed in other matches.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are tolerated more freely than others.
The debate in during the match was that the balance was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and responding accordingly. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the supporters who have suffered a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the ground, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the attack excelled, momentum when batters scored quickly, and unconditional love when the result was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a pitch with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a slog, with few wickets and slow play. The two-day game and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – both are not ideal, yet significance can be found in each.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"Far from being the end of the long game at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The squad responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the fans left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, men. You've earned this one.
