Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. The show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was considered a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create music or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
This is not a defence of the wicket which produced a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling because of the investment made elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are accepted more easily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and adjusting effectively. The best individual contributions were made by recognized batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the fielding side dominated, advantage when players fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a strip with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a slog, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be found in each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the memory.
"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been given some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The players protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces performed with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term stability, but something to build on.
In the end, this triumph is added to other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team congregated on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.
