Within a showcase on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a neon pink suit donned by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. You might think he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some songs are excellent while others are awful.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the players craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than two days, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the time committed in other matches.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are embraced more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the best players were prevented from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the wicket and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by acknowledged stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the devotees who have suffered a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the MCG, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a bastion of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers surged, momentum when players fought back, and rapturous celebration when the win was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a match there featured a pitch with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a grind, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be found in each.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the memory.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
Different players performed with vital performances. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to develop from.
At the very least, this MCG win joins other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the outfield to begin their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, boys. You've earned this one.
