In a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG is housed a neon pink outfit performed in by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a success.
You might not like Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music in history. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft literature or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the pitch.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
This is not a justification of the pitch which produced a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.
Having a thick layer on the surface, causing numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating due to the time committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Some factors are embraced more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the situation and adjusting accordingly. The top two individual scores were made by recognized players. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the MCG, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, producing a carnival vibe in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the fielding side dominated, impetus when players responded, and unconditional love when the result was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a non-event.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the scale – neither perfect, yet value can be attached to each.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"Far from being the demise of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been experienced some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the joy to his countenance.
New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to secure long-term stability, but something to build on.
At the very least, this MCG win is added to other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players congregated on the outfield to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, boys. It's well deserved.
