Within a glass case on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink suit worn by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't like the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, admitting that some songs are belting while others are poor.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is not a single method to produce music or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety 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 hour of play, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the wicket.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the strip is the canvas on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in abstract form.
This is not a endorsement of the pitch which yielded a triumph and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating owing to the time made in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the situation and responding effectively. The best individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and sang their songs, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, advantage when players fought back, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a wicket with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet significance can be attached to them.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The squad protected him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Different players performed with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to secure long-term futures, but something to build on.
Ultimately, this MCG win joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the team assembled on the outfield to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
