Within a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG rests a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a success.
It's possible you like his music. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some hits are excellent while others are poor.
The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to produce music or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the playing surface.
If the long game is a form of art, the strip is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and reassembled in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. Other times, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the investment made in other matches.
Adjustment: The True Test
Some factors are embraced more easily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
The format is about adapting to challenges – assessing the conditions and adapting effectively. The top two individual scores were made by world-class stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the devotees who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and created an atmosphere, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the attack dominated, momentum when batters fought back, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a strip with the character of a a non-event.
That contest was a marathon, with minimal action and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – both are not ideal, yet value can be found in both.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of the long game at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The players responded for him, reinstating the joy to his countenance.
New faces delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to develop from.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, lads. It's well deserved.
