Within a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. His show in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a success.
You might not like his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are fantastic while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft literature or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.
The elements, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game taken to pieces and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which yielded a victory and the another short match of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, causing 36 wickets falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the time committed in other matches.
Adjustment: The True Test
Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were unable from playing their natural game.
The format is about adapting to challenges – assessing the situation and responding appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the devotees who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the fielding side surged, momentum when players scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be found in them.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the memory.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," said a past champion. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The squad protected him, bringing back the smile to his persona.
New faces stepped up with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the outfield to start their own festivities.
Savour the moment, men. This victory was hard-fought.
