In a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a electric pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. The show in front of 100,024 attendees was considered a triumph.
It's possible you like the performer. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.
The key argument is that amusement can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the hour of play, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the format is a form of art, the pitch is the canvas on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, leading to 36 wickets falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and still growing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the investment committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were unable from playing their natural game.
The format is about finding solutions – assessing the wicket and adapting effectively. The best individual innings were made by world-class batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the fans who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the MCG, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, fostering a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was optimism as the fielding side dominated, momentum when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the result was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – both are not the standard, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.
"This isn't the end of Test cricket at all," observed a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The team protected him, reinstating the smile to his face.
Different players performed with vital performances. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to build on.
In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters departed into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the outfield to commence their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.
