In a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink ensemble performed in by the entertainer. The performance in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a success.
You might not like Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music in history. You might take a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft art or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by external factors.
The climate, the hour of play, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the wicket.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the canvas on which the players paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the contest.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the wicket, causing numerous dismissals falling in less than two days, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and ongoing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, 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 close matches are all the more thrilling because of the patience made elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
The format is about problem solving – reading the situation and adapting effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by recognized players. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the fans who have endured a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and sang their songs, producing a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, impetus when the top order fought back, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more ideal, yet historical weight can be found in them.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.
"This isn't the demise of the long game at all," commented a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The players protected him, restoring the joy to his persona.
New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans departed into a stunning sunset, the team gathered on the turf to begin their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
