Within a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of 100,024 attendees was hailed as a major hit.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music in history. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are belting while others are poor.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the playing surface.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the canvas on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which produced a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Leaving a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The format is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting owing to the patience committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are embraced more easily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – assessing the situation and adapting appropriately. The best individual contributions were made by acknowledged players. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the fans who have experienced years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and sang their songs, fostering a festive mood in a stronghold of national pride.
There was optimism as the fielding side dominated, advantage when batters responded, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with difficult wickets. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – one is not more perfect, yet significance can be found in each.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the history books.
"It's not the death of the long game at all," said a former player. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The squad responded for him, restoring the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the field to start their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, men. This victory was hard-fought.
