In a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a vibrant pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. The show in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't like his music. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, admitting that some hits are belting while others are terrible.
The central idea is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is not a single method to craft literature or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The climate, the session, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the pitch which produced a victory and the another short match of the contest.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are all the more thrilling due to the patience committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the wicket and adjusting effectively. The top two individual innings were made by recognized batters. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a stronghold of national pride.
There was optimism as the attack surged, momentum when batters scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the victory was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – both are not the standard, yet value can be found in each.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the memory.
"This isn't the demise of the format at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The squad delivered for him, restoring the joy to his countenance.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team assembled on the turf to commence their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. You've earned this one.
