In a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink suit donned by the entertainer. The concert in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a triumph.
You might not appreciate Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music known to man. You might take a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The central idea is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft literature or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The climate, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the wicket.
If the long game is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the great game broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which yielded a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Leaving excessive grass on the wicket, leading to numerous dismissals falling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and ongoing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the investment devoted elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Some factors are tolerated more freely than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the situation and responding appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the fans who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was belief as the attack excelled, impetus when batters fought back, and pure joy when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – one is not more perfect, yet significance can be found in each.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of Test cricket at all," said a past champion. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team protected him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to build on.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the outfield to commence their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, lads. You've earned this one.
