Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a electric pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was considered a triumph.
You might not appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The key argument is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to create literature or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by external factors.
The climate, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having a thick layer on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are particularly captivating due to the time devoted in other matches.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the best players were hindered from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and responding accordingly. The best individual innings were made by world-class stars. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, thousands celebrated and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers dominated, advantage when the top order fought back, and pure joy when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.
That contest was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither ideal, yet value can be attached to each.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the end of the format at all," observed a past champion. "Fans who have been privileged to see these short time have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The players responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the field to start their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
