Displayed inside a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG rests a vibrant pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. The show in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a major hit.
You might not enjoy the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some songs are belting while others are poor.
The point being is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to create music or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.
The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is a form of art, the strip is the canvas on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport dismantled and reconstructed in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the surface, causing numerous dismissals falling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling because of the time made in other matches.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the wicket and adjusting accordingly. The best individual scores were made by recognized batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the devotees who have suffered a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands made noise and sang their songs, producing a festive mood in a heartland of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers dominated, advantage when players responded, and rapturous celebration when the victory was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet value can be attached to each.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the death of the format at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The squad responded for him, restoring the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents performed with key contributions. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players congregated on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, boys. It's well deserved.
