Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a electric pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of a massive crowd of spectators was seen as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't appreciate his music. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are awful.
The central idea is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the hour of play, the red ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is a form of art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the established format dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
This is not a endorsement of the surface which produced a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are all the more thrilling owing to the time made during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the top batters were prevented from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the wicket and responding appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class players. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the stadium, thousands made noise and chanted, fostering a festive mood in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, impetus when the top order responded, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the scale – both are not ideal, yet significance can be ascribed to them.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the memory.
"Far from being the death of Test cricket at all," said a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The squad delivered for him, restoring the joy to his persona.
Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd left into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the field to begin their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, boys. It's well deserved.
