In a display cabinet on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a neon pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a triumph.
You might not appreciate the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.
The point being is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create music or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.
The climate, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the foundation on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
This is not a endorsement of the pitch which yielded a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Leaving a thick layer on the wicket, causing 36 wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting due to the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more easily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – assessing the situation and responding appropriately. The best individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the ground, a sea of people celebrated and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers surged, impetus when players fought back, and pure joy when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has form with pitch problems. Previously, a game there featured a pitch with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to them.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the memory.
"Far from being the demise of the long game at all," observed a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the joy to his face.
Emerging talents performed with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but something to build on.
Ultimately, this triumph joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the field to commence their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, boys. It's well deserved.
