Displayed inside a glass case on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a vibrant pink ensemble worn by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of 100,024 attendees was considered a major hit.
You might not appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, admitting that some tracks are excellent while others are terrible.
The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
This is not a justification of the surface which resulted in a victory and the second two-day Test of the series.
Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and counting. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting because of the patience devoted during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in during the match was that the contest was tipped too far towards the attack. That the top batters were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the situation and adjusting appropriately. The best individual innings were made by recognized batters. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the supporters who have endured years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the stadium, countless fans celebrated and chanted, generating a festive mood in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, momentum when the top order responded, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a wicket with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – one is not more perfect, yet significance can be attached to both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The squad protected him, bringing back the smile to his persona.
Different players performed with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but something to develop from.
In the end, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the team assembled on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
