Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink outfit performed in by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, acknowledging that some songs are fantastic while others are awful.
The point being is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no one way to produce literature or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on external factors.
The elements, the session, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the players craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the pitch which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, causing 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were unable from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about problem solving – assessing the conditions and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the fans who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, thousands waved their flags and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the fielding side excelled, impetus when the top order scored quickly, and pure joy when the result was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a wicket with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet value can be ascribed to them.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of the long game at all," said a past champion. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, reinstating the joy to his face.
Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd left into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the field to commence their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
