In a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG is housed a neon pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a massive crowd of attendees was hailed as a major hit.
You might not enjoy the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some songs are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game broken apart and reassembled in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Allowing a thick layer on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Sometimes, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the patience devoted elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are tolerated more freely than others.
The debate in during the match was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – reading the wicket and responding accordingly. The best individual scores were made by acknowledged stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the fielding side excelled, impetus when players fought back, and unconditional love when the result was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with few wickets and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the scale – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be found in each.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the end of the long game at all," said a past champion. "Fans who have been privileged to see these two days have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The team protected him, reinstating the smile to his face.
Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to build on.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory joins other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a beautiful night, the team gathered on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.
