Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the MCG rests a electric pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a triumph.
You might not like Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music known to man. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create literature or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by external factors.
The climate, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.
If the long game is a form of art, the wicket is the foundation on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a diverse canvas, a long history and counting. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the time made during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – reading the wicket and responding accordingly. The best individual innings were made by recognized batters. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the MCG, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, generating a festive mood in a stronghold of national pride.
There was optimism as the fielding side excelled, impetus when batters fought back, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with difficult wickets. Previously, a Test there featured a wicket with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the scale – both are not ideal, yet value can be attached to them.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"Far from being the death of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, restoring the smile to his face.
Different players delivered with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd left into a stunning sunset, the squad congregated on the field to start their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.
