Displayed inside a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink suit donned by Robbie Williams. His show in front of 100,024 spectators was hailed as a major hit.
It's possible you enjoy the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are belting while others are awful.
The central idea is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create literature or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The climate, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format taken to pieces and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving a thick layer on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and ongoing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating owing to the investment devoted elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about problem solving – assessing the situation and responding effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class stars. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the devotees who have suffered a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the attack surged, advantage when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – neither perfect, yet value can be ascribed to both.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The squad protected him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his face.
New faces delivered with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the team gathered on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
