Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink ensemble worn by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music in history. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are awful.
The point being is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.
The elements, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the canvas on which the cricketers 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 dismantled and reassembled in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which produced a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, leading to numerous dismissals falling in less than two days, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the patience made in other matches.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Certain variables are embraced more easily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the wicket and adapting accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the devotees who have experienced years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the fielding side dominated, advantage when players responded, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a pitch with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet significance can be found in each.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"This isn't the death of the long game at all," said a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the joy to his countenance.
Emerging talents performed with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to build on.
Ultimately, this triumph is added to other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd left into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the turf to start their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, men. It's well deserved.
