Within a glass case on the upper level of the MCG sits a electric pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a major hit.
Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some hits are fantastic while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to produce literature or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.
The elements, the time of day, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which produced a triumph and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Having a thick layer on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating because of the time made elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Some factors are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the wicket and adapting appropriately. The best individual contributions were made by recognized batters. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the stadium, thousands made noise and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, advantage when players responded, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has form with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a wicket with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the scale – both are not the standard, yet historical weight can be ascribed to them.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"This isn't the demise of Test cricket at all," said a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team protected him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to ensure long-term success, but a foundation to develop from.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the outfield to commence their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
