Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a vibrant pink ensemble worn by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't like Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to create literature or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on the environment.
The elements, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the strip is the canvas on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets being taken 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 suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and still growing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the investment made in other matches.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the situation and adapting accordingly. The top two individual scores were made by recognized players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers surged, momentum when players fought back, and rapturous celebration when the victory was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a non-event.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," said a past champion. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The team delivered for him, restoring the joy to his face.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the field to start their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
