Displayed inside a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a massive crowd of attendees was hailed as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't like the performer. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, conceding that some songs are excellent while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce literature or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and ongoing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are all the more thrilling due to the investment committed in other matches.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are accepted more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from playing their natural game.
The format is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the fans who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the attack dominated, momentum when batters fought back, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the range – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be found in both.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.
"This isn't the death of the long game at all," commented a former player. "Fans who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The squad protected him, restoring the joy to his countenance.
Emerging talents performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the players congregated on the turf to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
