Displayed inside a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a vibrant pink outfit performed in by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was considered a success.
It's possible you enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a balanced view, acknowledging that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft literature or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the athletes create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format broken apart and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Having 10mm of grass on the surface, resulting in 36 wickets falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core 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 rich tapestry, a long history and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are particularly captivating because of the time made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
The format is about problem solving – reading the conditions and adapting effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized batters. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the fans who have suffered 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, thousands celebrated and created an atmosphere, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the attack excelled, momentum when batters scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a a non-event.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the range – one is not more perfect, yet value can be ascribed to them.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"It's not the demise of the format at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team responded for him, reinstating the joy to his countenance.
Different players stepped up with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to secure long-term stability, but a foundation to develop from.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, lads. It's well deserved.
