Displayed inside a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a vibrant pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a triumph.
You might not appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, conceding that some songs are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce literature or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on the environment.
The weather, the session, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the playing surface.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport broken apart and stuck back together in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which produced a triumph and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, causing 36 wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the investment devoted elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are embraced more easily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and responding accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have suffered a long drought that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, impetus when players fought back, and pure joy when the win was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more the standard, yet value can be found in them.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the history books.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been given some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents performed with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to ensure long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a stunning sunset, the squad congregated on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.
