Within a showcase on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a neon pink suit worn by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was seen as a major hit.
You might not like Robbie Williams. You might think he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Or you could adopt a balanced view, acknowledging that some tracks are fantastic while others are terrible.
The central idea is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft literature or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Having excessive grass on the pitch, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The format is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting due to the investment devoted in other matches.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – reading the wicket and responding effectively. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized players. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the ground, a sea of people celebrated and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was belief as the fielding side dominated, momentum when the top order fought back, and pure joy when the win was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a strip with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a marathon, with few wickets and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the scale – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," observed a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The players protected him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, not nearly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans departed into a beautiful night, the squad assembled on the turf to commence their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
