In a showcase on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a neon pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. His show in front of 100,024 fans was hailed as a major hit.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some hits are belting while others are terrible.
The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to produce literature or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.
The climate, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport dismantled and stuck back together in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the pitch which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Having a thick layer on the surface, leading to 36 wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The long game is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating due to the patience made in other matches.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were hindered from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and adjusting appropriately. The best individual innings were made by world-class players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the supporters who have suffered a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, impetus when the top order fought back, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – one is not more perfect, yet significance can be found in each.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the history books.
"Far from being the death of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The squad protected him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to develop from.
Ultimately, this triumph joins other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans left into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the turf to commence their own festivities.
Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.
