Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink outfit worn by Robbie Williams. The show in front of 100,024 fans was hailed as a success.
You might not like his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by external factors.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the foundation on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the established format taken to pieces and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the pitch which yielded a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the wicket, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling owing to the patience committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the best players were unable from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the situation and responding effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class batters. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the devotees who have experienced 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the ground, thousands made noise and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a bastion of sport.
There was optimism as the fielding side surged, impetus when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a non-event.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the scale – one is not more ideal, yet significance can be attached to them.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the memory.
"Far from being the death of Test cricket at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The players delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd slipped away into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the outfield to commence their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
