Within a glass case on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a vibrant pink suit worn by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by conditions.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the canvas on which the players craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling due to the investment committed elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the contest was tipped too far towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the wicket and responding appropriately. The top two individual innings were made by world-class stars. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the fans who have experienced 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the MCG, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side dominated, impetus when the top order scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the victory was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. In the past, a Test there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – neither ideal, yet significance can be ascribed to them.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these two days have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The players delivered for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players performed with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, boys. You've earned this one.
