In a display cabinet on the upper level of the MCG rests a electric pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music in history. You might take a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport dismantled and stuck back together in abstract form.
This is not a justification of the pitch which yielded a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling 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 suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The format is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and ongoing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are even more exciting because of the patience devoted during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Some factors are accepted more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about problem solving – reading the wicket and responding effectively. The best individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the MCG, countless fans waved their flags and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, momentum when the top order responded, and pure joy when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has form with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the scale – neither the standard, yet value can be ascribed to each.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the demise of the format at all," said a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
Emerging talents delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but something to use as a platform.
In the end, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad congregated on the turf to start their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. It's well deserved.
