In a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG is housed a electric pink ensemble worn by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of 100,024 fans was considered a success.
You might not enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The climate, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
This is not a justification of the wicket which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Having a thick layer on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the investment made elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the situation and responding accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the devotees who have suffered a long drought that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the ground, countless fans celebrated and chanted, producing a festive mood in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, impetus when batters responded, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That contest was a marathon, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – both are not the standard, yet value can be ascribed to each.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"Far from being the death of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these short time have been experienced some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The players protected him, bringing back the smile to his countenance.
Different players performed with key contributions. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term success, but something to build on.
At the very least, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the team gathered on the outfield to commence their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. It's well deserved.
