In a showcase on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a electric pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. His show in front of 100,024 spectators was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't like Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to produce music or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by external factors.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having excessive grass on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating owing to the time committed elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are embraced more easily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the conditions and adjusting appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by recognized players. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the devotees who have experienced 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, advantage when players scored quickly, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a a non-event.
That fixture was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not the standard, yet significance can be attached to them.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"This isn't the demise of the format at all," observed a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The players protected him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players congregated on the turf to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, boys. You've earned this one.
