Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a success.
You might not like the performer. You might think he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The point being is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce music or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the long game is a form of art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and reassembled in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the series.
Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The format is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating due to the time made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Some factors are embraced more freely than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and adjusting accordingly. The best individual scores were made by recognized batters. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the stadium, countless fans made noise and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the bowlers excelled, momentum when batters responded, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a a non-event.
That contest was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be found in both.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the end of the long game at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been experienced some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, bringing back the joy to his countenance.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are small positives, not nearly enough to secure long-term futures, but something to develop from.
At the very least, this triumph joins other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters departed into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, men. It's well deserved.
