In a glass case on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink suit donned by the entertainer. The concert in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a triumph.
You might not like Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to craft music or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.
The elements, the session, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the strip is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the established format broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a victory and the second two-day Test of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting due to the patience made in other matches.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the best players were unable from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the situation and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the bowlers excelled, advantage when players scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with pitch problems. In the past, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet significance can be attached to both.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the end of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The team responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents performed with vital performances. These are small positives, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to develop from.
In the end, this MCG win joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad assembled on the field to start their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.
