In a glass case on the upper level of the MCG rests a neon pink ensemble worn by Robbie Williams. The show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't like the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are awful.
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 Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on the environment.
The weather, the session, the ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the playing surface.
If the long game is art, the strip is the canvas on which the players create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which yielded a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in 36 wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and still growing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting due to the time made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are accepted more freely than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were unable from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the situation and responding accordingly. The best individual innings were made by recognized players. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the devotees who have experienced a long drought that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the bowlers surged, advantage when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has form with pitch problems. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and interminable tedium. This recent match and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither perfect, yet significance can be ascribed to both.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"Far from being the demise of the long game at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The team responded for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to build on.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory is added to other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, men. You've earned this one.
