Within a display cabinet on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a vibrant pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a success.
It's possible you like his music. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a balanced view, acknowledging that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce music or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the players craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format taken to pieces and stuck back together in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which produced a win and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, leading to 36 wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The format is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating because of the patience committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the situation and responding effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the stadium, thousands made noise and chanted, producing a party atmosphere in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the attack dominated, momentum when batters responded, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – both are not perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the memory.
"Far from being the demise of the format at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been privileged to see these two days have been given some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The squad protected him, reinstating the smile to his persona.
New faces performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term stability, but a starting point to develop from.
At the very least, this MCG win joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the field to start their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, boys. It's well deserved.
