In a glass case on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a vibrant pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a major hit.
You might not like his music. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. You might take a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no one way to create music or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the pitch is the canvas on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Leaving excessive grass on the wicket, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are all the more thrilling due to the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more easily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were unable from playing their natural game.
The format is about problem solving – interpreting the situation and adapting effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a heartland of national pride.
There was hope as the fielding side surged, impetus when batters responded, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the scale – neither perfect, yet significance can be attached to each.
At this stage into the current series, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the history books.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," observed a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been experienced some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The team responded for him, bringing back the smile to his persona.
Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to secure long-term success, but something to develop from.
In the end, this MCG win is added to other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the players congregated on the turf to start their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, boys. This victory was hard-fought.