In a glass case on the upper level of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink outfit worn by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a major hit.
Perhaps you don't like the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music in history. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.
The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce art or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The elements, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is art, the wicket is the canvas on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting because of the time devoted elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Some factors are embraced more freely than others.
The argument in during the match was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the situation and adjusting appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the devotees who have suffered a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and sang their songs, producing a festive mood in a heartland of national pride.
There was belief as the attack dominated, impetus when batters fought back, and rapturous celebration when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the range – both are not the standard, yet value can be ascribed to both.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the history books.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The squad protected him, reinstating the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players assembled on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
