Within a showcase on the upper level of the MCG sits a electric pink suit donned by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of a massive crowd of spectators was seen as a major hit.
You might not enjoy his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is not a single method to create literature or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If the format is art, the strip is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which yielded a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having a thick layer on the wicket, leading to 36 wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and ongoing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the investment committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are accepted more easily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the conditions and responding accordingly. The two highest individual contributions were made by recognized stars. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have experienced 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and chanted, producing a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, advantage when the top order scored quickly, and pure joy when the result was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more ideal, yet significance can be found in both.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," observed a past champion. "The people who have been privileged to see these two days have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the joy to his countenance.
Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to develop from.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory is added to other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the turf to begin their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
