Within a glass case on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a electric pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of a massive crowd of fans was hailed as a success.
You might not like Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some songs are belting while others are terrible.
The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If the format is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the pitch which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having a thick layer on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating because of the time committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are accepted more readily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from showcasing their talents.
The format is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and adapting effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of sport.
There was optimism as the attack excelled, impetus when players responded, and unconditional love when the result was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a Test there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be ascribed to them.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.
"Far from being the end of the long game at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his face.
New faces delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a foundation to build on.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd left into a beautiful night, the squad assembled on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
