In a glass case on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink suit performed in by the pop star. The concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a triumph.
You might not like Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some hits are belting while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to create art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on conditions.
The climate, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.
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 the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the wicket which produced a triumph and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the time committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The True Test
Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and adapting accordingly. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the stadium, a sea of people waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a bastion of sport.
There was optimism as the attack surged, momentum when batters responded, and unconditional love when the result was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with pitch problems. In the past, a Test there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the scale – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be found in both.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the history books.
"Far from being the end of the format at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the smile to his persona.
Emerging talents performed with vital performances. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to ensure long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd left into a beautiful night, the team gathered on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
