Within a glass case on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink outfit performed in by the pop star. The concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was considered a triumph.
You might not appreciate Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, acknowledging that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no one way to craft art or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon external factors.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and reassembled in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the surface which yielded a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the investment made during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are embraced more freely than others.
The argument in during the match was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were prevented from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the situation and adapting effectively. The top two individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people waved their flags and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, impetus when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the win was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That contest was a grind, with few wickets and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the range – one is not more perfect, yet significance can be ascribed to each.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the demise of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been given some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The players protected him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to ensure long-term success, but something to build on.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory is added to other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players assembled on the turf to start their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
