Within a glass case on the third floor of the MCG rests a neon pink outfit performed in by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of 100,024 attendees was considered a major hit.
It's possible you enjoy his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on external factors.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having 10mm of grass on the surface, causing 36 wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating because of the investment committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The True Test
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the top batters were unable from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the conditions and responding appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by acknowledged stars. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the fans who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the stadium, thousands celebrated and created an atmosphere, producing a party atmosphere in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the attack dominated, advantage when batters scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a grind, with limited drama and slow play. The two-day game and that previous match are extreme ends of the scale – both are not ideal, yet value can be found in both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the history books.
"It's not the death of the long game at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been experienced some genuine drama. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team protected him, reinstating the joy to his persona.
Different players performed with crucial roles. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but a starting point to build on.
Ultimately, this MCG win joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players gathered on the field to start their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, lads. It's well deserved.
