Within a display cabinet on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. The performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a success.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, acknowledging that some songs 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 create music or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the session, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the wicket is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, causing numerous dismissals tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and ongoing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting because of the patience devoted elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were unable from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – reading the wicket and adjusting appropriately. The top two individual innings were made by recognized players. One team was less disciplined 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 wasn't compelling.
In one section of the stadium, a sea of people waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side excelled, impetus when the top order fought back, and rapturous celebration when the victory was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with few wickets and endless boredom. The two-day game and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – both are not the standard, yet value can be attached to them.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the death of the long game at all," said a veteran. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The team responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
Emerging talents stepped up with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory is added to other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the field to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, men. You've earned this one.
