Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a triumph.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a reasonable stance, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.
The key argument is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by external factors.
The elements, the session, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport dismantled and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the pitch which produced a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Having a thick layer on the wicket, leading to numerous dismissals tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling due to the investment devoted elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and adapting accordingly. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the fans who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the MCG, a sea of people celebrated and created an atmosphere, fostering a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the attack surged, impetus when players responded, and pure joy when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has form with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a wicket with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the range – one is not more perfect, yet value can be found in both.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," said a veteran. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The squad responded for him, restoring the joy to his face.
Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to secure long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
