Within a glass case on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a success.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce music or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by the environment.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game taken to pieces and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting owing to the patience committed elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Some factors are tolerated more freely than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were unable from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the wicket and responding effectively. The top two individual scores were made by world-class stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the MCG, thousands celebrated and created an atmosphere, fostering a carnival vibe in a stronghold of national pride.
There was belief as the bowlers excelled, impetus when batters scored quickly, and unconditional love when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a slog, with few wickets and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither the standard, yet significance can be found in both.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the demise of the long game at all," observed a past champion. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents performed with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to secure long-term stability, but a starting point to build on.
Ultimately, this triumph is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad congregated on the turf to start their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
