In a display cabinet on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a neon pink outfit performed in by the pop star. His show in front of 100,024 spectators was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The point being is that amusement can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The climate, the hour of play, the ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If the format is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the pitch which yielded a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the investment committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Some factors are embraced more freely than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – reading the wicket and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the fans who have experienced years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the ground, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the bowlers dominated, advantage when players responded, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. The two-day game and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to them.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"This isn't the death of the long game at all," observed a past champion. "Fans who have been privileged to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The players protected him, restoring the smile to his face.
Different players delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to secure long-term stability, but something to develop from.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players congregated on the outfield to begin their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, men. It's well deserved.
