Within a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a vibrant pink outfit performed in by the entertainer. His performance in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some hits are belting while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to produce music or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on the environment.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the wicket.
If the long game is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the surface which yielded a victory and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Having a thick layer on the wicket, leading to 36 wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the investment made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are accepted more freely than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and adapting effectively. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the devotees who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, generating a festive mood in a heartland of national pride.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, impetus when the top order responded, and unconditional love when the victory was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. The two-day game and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the death of the long game at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The players protected him, restoring the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents performed with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
In the end, this triumph joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
