In a glass case on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a electric pink suit donned by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of 100,024 attendees was seen as a triumph.
You might not enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a balanced view, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The central idea is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce literature or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players 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 stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
This is not a justification of the wicket which produced a victory and the another short match of the contest.
Leaving a thick layer on the pitch, leading to 36 wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the patience devoted in other matches.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Some factors are embraced more easily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the balance was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the conditions and adjusting accordingly. The two highest individual contributions were made by recognized stars. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the supporters who have endured a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a festive mood in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, advantage when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the result was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a strip with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a grind, with few wickets and slow play. This recent match and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the scale – both are not perfect, yet value can be ascribed to both.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team responded for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents performed with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to build on.
In the end, this triumph is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters departed into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the turf to commence their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
