Within a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a vibrant pink outfit performed in by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a triumph.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, admitting that some hits are belting while others are poor.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon the environment.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is a form of art, the strip is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game taken to pieces and reconstructed in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which yielded a win and the second two-day Test of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting owing to the time devoted in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were unable from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about finding solutions – reading the conditions and responding accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by world-class stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the devotees who have experienced 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the ground, a sea of people celebrated and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, impetus when batters scored quickly, and pure joy when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a strip with all the life of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither ideal, yet value can be ascribed to them.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The team protected him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
New faces stepped up with vital performances. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to build on.
At the very least, this triumph joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.
