In a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a electric pink suit worn by the entertainer. His show in front of 100,024 fans was considered a major hit.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some hits are belting while others are poor.
The central idea is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no one way to produce art or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on the environment.
The elements, the session, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the canvas on which the players craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and reassembled in an unusual manner.
This is not a endorsement of the surface which resulted in a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Having a thick layer on the pitch, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the investment committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the situation and adapting accordingly. The best individual contributions were made by acknowledged stars. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have suffered 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, producing a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, impetus when batters fought back, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a Test there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet significance can be attached to them.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the end of the format at all," observed a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Different players delivered with vital performances. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to use as a platform.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, boys. You've earned this one.
