Within a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a major hit.
It's possible you enjoy the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music in history. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no one way to create literature or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the session, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the wicket.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the established format dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which yielded a win and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling because of the time committed in other matches.
Adjustment: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the wicket and adapting effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the stadium, thousands celebrated and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the attack dominated, impetus when players fought back, and pure joy when the victory was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with controversial surfaces. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with few wickets and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither ideal, yet value can be attached to both.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the history books.
"Far from being the death of the long game at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team protected him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
At the very least, this MCG win takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players assembled on the field to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.
