Within a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink suit worn by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a success.
Perhaps you don't like the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some songs are fantastic while others are awful.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no one way to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reconstructed in abstract form.
This is not a endorsement of the surface which yielded a triumph and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, resulting in 36 wickets being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and counting. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Some factors are tolerated more freely than others.
The debate in during the match was that the contest was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the top batters were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the wicket and adjusting accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized batters. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the devotees who have endured a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a party atmosphere in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, momentum when players scored quickly, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. The two-day game and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet value can be ascribed to them.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the memory.
"This isn't the demise of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The team delivered for him, restoring the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
In the end, this Melbourne victory is added to other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd slipped away into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, boys. It's well deserved.
