Displayed inside a glass case on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a neon pink outfit worn by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was hailed as a triumph.
You might not enjoy the performer. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some hits are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce music or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by external factors.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in an unusual manner.
This is not a endorsement of the surface which yielded a triumph and the another short match of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the time devoted during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class players. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the fans who have suffered a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people celebrated and sang their songs, producing a carnival vibe in a bastion of sport.
There was hope as the attack dominated, impetus when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither the standard, yet significance can be attached to each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the end of the format at all," observed a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The squad delivered for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
Different players performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to develop from.
In the end, this triumph takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad congregated on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
