Within a showcase on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink outfit performed in by the entertainer. The show in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music in history. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are poor.
The central idea is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.
The climate, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the long game is art, the wicket is the canvas on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport broken apart and stuck back together in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which produced a victory and the another short match of the series.
Having excessive grass on the pitch, leading to 36 wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the time made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Some factors are tolerated 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 showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the conditions and adapting appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized players. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, producing a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was hope as the fielding side surged, momentum when players responded, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That fixture was a grind, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – one is not more ideal, yet value can be attached to both.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his persona.
Different players stepped up with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
