In a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a neon pink suit donned by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music known to man. You might take a balanced view, conceding that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The central idea is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create music or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport dismantled and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the wicket, leading to 36 wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature 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 diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the patience devoted in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are tolerated more freely than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from playing their natural game.
The format is about problem solving – assessing the wicket and adapting appropriately. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands made noise and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the attack surged, impetus when batters responded, and pure joy when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a strip with the character of a a non-event.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be found in them.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the memory.
"It's not the end of the format at all," said a veteran. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been given some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team delivered for him, reinstating the smile to his persona.
New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term stability, but something to develop from.
At the very least, this MCG win joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters left into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
