Within a glass case on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a vibrant pink outfit performed in by Robbie Williams. The show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't appreciate the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some tracks are belting while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is not a single method to craft art or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon external factors.
The climate, the hour of play, the ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the established format broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
This is not a endorsement of the surface which resulted in a win and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Having excessive grass on the surface, resulting in 36 wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting owing to the time devoted elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Some factors are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in during the match was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – reading the situation and adapting effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by acknowledged stars. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have endured a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the stadium, countless fans celebrated and created an atmosphere, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers dominated, momentum when the top order fought back, and pure joy when the result was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a non-event.
That contest was a slog, with few wickets and endless boredom. The two-day game and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither ideal, yet value can be found in each.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the death of the long game at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team responded for him, restoring the joy to his face.
Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but something to develop from.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the squad congregated on the turf to commence their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
