In a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce art or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the canvas on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport dismantled and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the pitch which yielded a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The format is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are particularly captivating due to the patience committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are embraced more easily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were unable from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by acknowledged stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the fans who have experienced a long drought that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, producing a festive mood in a stronghold of national pride.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, impetus when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the demise of the format at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been privileged to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The squad responded for him, restoring the joy to his countenance.
Different players stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the fans departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players congregated on the field to start their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
