In a display cabinet on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a neon pink outfit worn by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a success.
You might not like his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music in history. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are terrible.
The key argument is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create literature or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by the environment.
The weather, the session, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the wicket.
If the long game is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
This is not a endorsement of the wicket which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the surface, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the time devoted in other matches.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the wicket and adapting effectively. The best individual innings were made by recognized stars. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.
There was optimism as the attack surged, impetus when the top order responded, and pure joy when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither the standard, yet value can be ascribed to both.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of the format at all," observed a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The players protected him, bringing back the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents delivered with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term stability, but something to develop from.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team assembled on the field to commence their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.
