Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a electric pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. The performance in front of 100,024 fans was considered a success.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce art or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.
The elements, the session, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the established format broken apart and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the surface which produced a victory and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are even more exciting owing to the time committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – reading the situation and adapting appropriately. The best individual scores were made by world-class batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the fans who have experienced 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the ground, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the attack excelled, impetus when players fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the range – neither perfect, yet significance can be attached to each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the end of the format at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team responded for him, bringing back the joy to his countenance.
Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a foundation to build on.
In the end, this triumph is added to other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players congregated on the turf to start their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, men. It's well deserved.
