Within a display cabinet on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by the entertainer. The performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a success.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are terrible.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no one way to craft music or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by the environment.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the strip is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which resulted in a win and the another short match of the series.
Having 10mm of grass on the wicket, causing 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the investment made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are embraced more freely than others.
The contention 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.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – reading the situation and responding accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged stars. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the supporters who have endured 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the ground, thousands waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the fielding side surged, impetus when the top order responded, and unconditional love when the win was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be ascribed to them.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of the long game at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The squad protected him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
In the end, this Melbourne victory is added to other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd left into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the outfield to start their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
