Displayed inside a showcase on the upper level of the MCG rests a neon pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a major hit.
It's possible you enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, conceding that some songs are excellent while others are awful.
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 Test Format
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by the environment.
The climate, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the pitch.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the pitch which produced a win and the another short match of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and ongoing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the investment devoted elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are accepted more freely than others.
The debate in during the match was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were prevented from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the situation and responding appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized stars. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side excelled, advantage when batters responded, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a match there featured a wicket with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – both are not ideal, yet value can be attached to them.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the memory.
"Far from being the demise of the long game at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been given some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team delivered for him, restoring the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but something to build on.
Ultimately, this triumph joins other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the field to start their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.
