Displayed inside a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink suit performed in by the entertainer. The performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a triumph.
You might not appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce art or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Allowing a thick layer on the pitch, causing 36 wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting because of the time devoted during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the top batters were unable from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized batters. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was optimism as the attack surged, impetus when batters responded, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a strip with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. The two-day game and that slow Test are extreme ends of the scale – one is not more ideal, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the history books.
"It's not the death of the long game at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The team responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are small positives, hardly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to develop from.
In the end, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team congregated on the outfield to commence their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, men. You've earned this one.
