In a glass case on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was hailed as a major hit.
It's possible you like the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some songs are belting while others are poor.
The key argument is that entertainment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the wicket.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which yielded a win and the another short match of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The long game is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are particularly captivating due to the time committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the conditions and adjusting appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged stars. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the devotees who have endured a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the ground, countless fans celebrated and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the bowlers surged, impetus when batters responded, and rapturous celebration when the victory was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a match there featured a wicket with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the scale – neither perfect, yet significance can be attached to them.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the history books.
"This isn't the end of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team protected him, bringing back the joy to his face.
Different players stepped up with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to develop from.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory is added to other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players congregated on the turf to commence their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, men. This victory was hard-fought.
