Displayed inside a showcase on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink ensemble worn by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of 100,024 attendees was hailed as a success.
You might not like the performer. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no one way to produce music or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the established format taken to pieces and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest 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.
The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are particularly captivating because of the investment devoted in other matches.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Some factors are embraced more easily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the top batters were prevented from showcasing their talents.
The format is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and adapting accordingly. The top two individual scores were made by world-class players. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the devotees who have experienced a long drought that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the MCG, thousands celebrated and created an atmosphere, generating a carnival vibe in a bastion of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, advantage when players scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a grind, with few wickets and slow play. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," said a veteran. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team responded for him, restoring the joy to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term futures, but something to build on.
At the very least, this MCG win joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the turf to begin their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.
