In a showcase on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink outfit performed in by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce literature or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the pitch.
If the format is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
This is not a justification of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the surface, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are all the more thrilling owing to the investment committed elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Some factors are tolerated more freely than others.
The debate in during the match was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – assessing the wicket and responding accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized batters. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of sport.
There was optimism as the fielding side excelled, impetus when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has form with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a strip with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that slow Test are extreme ends of the range – both are not the standard, yet significance can be attached to both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the memory.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," observed a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The players responded for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Different players stepped up with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad gathered on the outfield to commence their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, boys. You've earned this one.
