Displayed inside a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a vibrant pink suit worn by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of 100,024 attendees was considered a success.
You might not appreciate the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are belting while others are poor.
The point being is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no one way to produce music or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on conditions.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the players craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reconstructed in abstract form.
This is not a justification of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting owing to the time committed in other matches.
Adaptation: The True Test
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the situation and adapting accordingly. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the stadium, countless fans made noise and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, advantage when the top order responded, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with pitch problems. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a a non-event.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – neither the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the history books.
"Far from being the death of the long game at all," said a past champion. "Fans who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The team responded for him, bringing back the smile to his persona.
Different players stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to secure long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
In the end, this triumph is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the team assembled on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, lads. It's well deserved.
