Within a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a neon pink outfit performed in by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of 100,024 attendees was hailed as a major hit.
You might not appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft literature or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on the environment.
The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the players create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which produced a victory and the another short match of the contest.
Allowing a thick layer on the pitch, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the investment committed elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the best players were unable from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – reading the wicket and adapting effectively. The best individual contributions were made by recognized players. One team committed more errors 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 lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans celebrated and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a stronghold of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side excelled, momentum when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a non-event.
That match was a grind, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – both are not perfect, yet value can be attached to both.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the memory.
"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been given some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The squad responded for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
Different players delivered with key contributions. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the outfield to commence their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
