Within a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a electric pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a hundred thousand attendees was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, acknowledging that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no one way to craft music or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport dismantled and reassembled 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 series.
Allowing a thick layer on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the time devoted in other matches.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Some factors are embraced more easily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the wicket and adapting effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, impetus when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the victory was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be found in each.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the history books.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The team protected him, bringing back the smile to his countenance.
New faces performed with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to build on.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory is added to other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad gathered on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.
