Displayed inside a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG rests a electric pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. The show in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. Or you could adopt a middle ground, acknowledging that some songs are belting while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce literature or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.
The elements, the session, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the wicket.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which produced a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Having 10mm of grass on the surface, resulting in 36 wickets being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling due to the investment committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Some factors are accepted more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and adjusting appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the devotees who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands made noise and chanted, fostering a festive mood in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers excelled, momentum when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That contest was a slog, with few wickets and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the scale – neither the standard, yet historical weight can be found in them.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the history books.
"Far from being the demise of the format at all," observed a former player. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The players delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces performed with crucial roles. These are small positives, hardly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to build on.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
