Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the MCG sits a electric pink ensemble worn by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was considered a success.
Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, conceding that some songs are belting while others are terrible.
The point being is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create art or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport broken apart and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which yielded a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating due to the investment devoted in other matches.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are accepted more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – reading the conditions and adjusting appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by world-class batters. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have endured a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, a sea of people celebrated and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, advantage when players scored quickly, and pure joy when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a wicket with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a grind, with few wickets and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – one is not more perfect, yet value can be attached to them.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the demise of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his face.
New faces performed with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to develop from.
At the very least, this triumph joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the turf to commence their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, boys. You've earned this one.
