Within a showcase on the upper level of the MCG is housed a neon pink suit worn by the entertainer. His show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was considered a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some songs are belting while others are poor.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is not a single method to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The elements, the session, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the wicket.
If the long game is a form of art, the strip is the foundation on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Allowing excessive grass on the pitch, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling owing to the patience devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the conditions and responding appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized players. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, fostering a festive mood in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the fielding side dominated, advantage when players responded, and unconditional love when the win was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a slog, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the scale – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the history books.
"Far from being the demise of the long game at all," observed a past champion. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been given some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, bringing back the smile to his persona.
Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.
In the end, this Melbourne victory is added to other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad congregated on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, men. This victory was hard-fought.
