In a showcase on the upper level of the MCG sits a vibrant pink outfit performed in by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of 100,024 attendees was hailed as a triumph.
It's possible you enjoy Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the foundation on which the players craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
This is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, 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 notion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and still growing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the investment devoted in other matches.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
The format is about finding solutions – assessing the conditions and responding accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the fielding side excelled, advantage when batters responded, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more ideal, yet significance can be found in each.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the memory.
"This isn't the death of the format at all," said a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been given some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team responded for him, bringing back the smile to his face.
New faces delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
