Within a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG rests a neon pink suit donned by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a triumph.
You might not like his music. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The central idea is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to craft literature or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.
The climate, the session, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is art, the wicket is the canvas on which the players create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and reassembled in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Leaving a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling because of the investment committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the top batters were unable from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the wicket and adjusting appropriately. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, advantage when players fought back, and pure joy when the result was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. In the past, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That contest was a marathon, with few wickets and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are extreme ends of the scale – neither the standard, yet significance can be attached to both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the demise of the long game at all," observed a former player. "Fans who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been given some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The team delivered for him, restoring the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.
In the end, this Melbourne victory is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the field to begin their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, men. You've earned this one.
