Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the MCG sits a electric pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of 100,024 spectators was considered a major hit.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. You might think he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some tracks are belting while others are awful.
The central idea is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on conditions.
The climate, the session, the red ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and reassembled in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the surface which produced a triumph and the another short match of the contest.
Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, leading to 36 wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating owing to the patience made elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the top batters were unable from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the wicket and responding effectively. The best individual contributions were made by recognized players. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Try telling the fans who have endured a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the stadium, thousands celebrated and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a stronghold of sport.
There was optimism as the attack dominated, momentum when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a non-event.
That match was a grind, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not the standard, yet significance can be ascribed to each.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the memory.
"This isn't the demise of the long game at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been experienced some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The squad protected him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
Different players stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players congregated on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.
