Within a showcase on the upper level of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was considered a major hit.
You might not appreciate the performer. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music known to man. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are belting while others are awful.
The point being is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is not a single method to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on external factors.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the long game is art, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the great game dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting due to the patience committed in other matches.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the conditions and responding appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the supporters who have endured a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of national pride.
There was optimism as the attack surged, impetus when players fought back, and rapturous celebration when the win was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has form with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be found in both.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of the format at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The squad delivered for him, bringing back the joy to his countenance.
New faces delivered with key contributions. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term stability, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players assembled on the field to start their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, lads. It's well deserved.
