Within a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. The show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was considered a major hit.
Perhaps you don't like his music. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are terrible.
The central idea is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft music or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Most important is the wicket.
If the long game is art, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in an unusual manner.
It must be stated 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 wicket, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are all the more thrilling owing to the investment made during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were unable from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the conditions and responding appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by recognized players. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the supporters who have endured a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, momentum when batters responded, and unconditional love when the win was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a grind, with limited drama and endless boredom. The two-day game and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more perfect, yet value can be found in each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the memory.
"This isn't the end of the format at all," observed a former player. "Fans who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The players delivered for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term success, but something to build on.
At the very least, this MCG win takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters departed into a beautiful night, the team congregated on the turf to start their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
