Displayed inside a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a neon pink outfit worn by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of a massive crowd of spectators was considered a major hit.
You might not like the performer. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, admitting that some hits are fantastic while others are poor.
The central idea is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to craft music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which yielded a victory and the second two-day Test of the series.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the pitch, causing a cascade of wickets falling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Sometimes, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating owing to the time devoted in other matches.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the wicket and responding appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class players. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the supporters who have suffered a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the ground, countless fans made noise and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, impetus when players fought back, and pure joy when the win was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a non-event.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the scale – both are not the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to them.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the end of the format at all," observed a past champion. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The squad delivered for him, restoring the joy to his countenance.
Emerging talents performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to build on.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters departed into a beautiful night, the team assembled on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
