🔗 Share this article 'Was That Not a Show?' Why a Shortened Fixture Deserved Its Status as a Proper Test. Within a showcase on the upper level of the MCG sits a neon pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a massive crowd of fans was hailed as a triumph. Perhaps you don't like his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are belting while others are awful. The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create music or even five-day cricket. The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions. The climate, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the playing surface. If the format is a form of art, the pitch is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art. A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and reconstructed in a bizarre shape. Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the Ashes battle. Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between offense and defense. A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is mistaken. The long game is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra. The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the patience committed elsewhere. Adjustment: The Core Skill Certain variables are accepted more easily than others. The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill. Test cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the conditions and adapting effectively. The top two individual scores were made by world-class players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best. Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited Try telling the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling. In one section of the MCG, thousands celebrated and chanted, producing a party atmosphere in a heartland of national pride. There was hope as the bowlers dominated, impetus when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the result was confirmed. Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches The venue has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker. That contest was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – both are not the standard, yet value can be ascribed to them. At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the memory. "This isn't the death of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been given some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle." Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope In the preparation to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. The team delivered for him, restoring the joy to his face. Different players stepped up with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to build on. At the very least, this Melbourne victory is added to other historic performances in similar circumstances. As the supporters slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players gathered on the outfield to commence their own enjoyment. Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
Within a showcase on the upper level of the MCG sits a neon pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a massive crowd of fans was hailed as a triumph. Perhaps you don't like his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are belting while others are awful. The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create music or even five-day cricket. The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions. The climate, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the playing surface. If the format is a form of art, the pitch is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art. A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and reconstructed in a bizarre shape. Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the Ashes battle. Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between offense and defense. A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is mistaken. The long game is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra. The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the patience committed elsewhere. Adjustment: The Core Skill Certain variables are accepted more easily than others. The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill. Test cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the conditions and adapting effectively. The top two individual scores were made by world-class players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best. Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited Try telling the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling. In one section of the MCG, thousands celebrated and chanted, producing a party atmosphere in a heartland of national pride. There was hope as the bowlers dominated, impetus when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the result was confirmed. Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches The venue has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker. That contest was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – both are not the standard, yet value can be ascribed to them. At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the memory. "This isn't the death of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been given some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle." Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope In the preparation to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. The team delivered for him, restoring the joy to his face. Different players stepped up with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to build on. At the very least, this Melbourne victory is added to other historic performances in similar circumstances. As the supporters slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players gathered on the outfield to commence their own enjoyment. Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.