In a glass case on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a neon pink ensemble performed in by the entertainer. The concert in front of a massive crowd of spectators was considered a major hit.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no one way to create music or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on the environment.
The climate, the hour of play, the ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the wicket.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the foundation on which the athletes create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the established format broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, leading to 36 wickets falling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the patience committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more freely than others.
The argument in during the match was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the best players were unable from playing their natural game.
The format is about adapting to challenges – assessing the situation and adjusting appropriately. The best individual scores were made by world-class players. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and chanted, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers surged, momentum when batters fought back, and pure joy when the result was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has a history with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, 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. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to them.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the death of the format at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these short time have been experienced some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The players responded for him, bringing back the joy to his persona.
Different players stepped up with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
