Within a showcase on the third floor of the MCG sits a neon pink outfit performed in by the entertainer. His show in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a triumph.
You might not like Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some songs are excellent while others are terrible.
The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to produce literature or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the strip is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and reassembled in abstract form.
This is not a defence of the wicket which resulted in a victory and the second two-day Test of the series.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the pitch, leading to numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the time devoted in other matches.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – assessing the conditions and responding effectively. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, fostering a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the fielding side excelled, momentum when batters responded, and pure joy when the result was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a a non-event.
That match was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – neither the standard, yet historical weight can be found in each.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the history books.
"Far from being the death of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been experienced some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents performed with key contributions. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term stability, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory is added to other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players congregated on the turf to start their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, lads. You've earned this one.
