Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a neon pink suit worn by the pop star. The performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a triumph.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create music or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.
The climate, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the pitch which produced a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Allowing excessive grass on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals tumbling in less than two days, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the time made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are accepted more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.
The format is about adapting to challenges – reading the situation and responding accordingly. The best individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and chanted, fostering a festive mood in a heartland of national pride.
There was belief as the attack excelled, advantage when the top order scored quickly, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither the standard, yet significance can be found in each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these short time have been given some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The squad delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
Different players delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans departed into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the outfield to commence their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, boys. You've earned this one.
