In a glass case on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was considered a major hit.
It's possible you enjoy the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to create literature or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game taken to pieces and reconstructed in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the surface which resulted in a win and the another short match of the series.
Having a thick layer on the surface, causing 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting because of the investment devoted elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the situation and adjusting appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by recognized batters. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the MCG, a sea of people celebrated and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the fielding side dominated, momentum when players fought back, and rapturous celebration when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"This isn't the demise of Test cricket at all," observed a former player. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The players responded for him, reinstating the smile to his face.
Different players performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to develop from.
At the very least, this triumph joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad gathered on the outfield to start their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, boys. It's well deserved.
