Displayed inside a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a vibrant pink suit worn by the pop star. His show in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a success.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, conceding that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no one way to craft art or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by external factors.
The weather, the session, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which yielded a triumph and the another short match of the series.
Having a thick layer on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling due to the time committed in other matches.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in during the match was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the conditions and adapting appropriately. The top two individual innings were made by recognized players. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the supporters who have endured 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a carnival vibe in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the fielding side surged, momentum when players scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. In the past, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – one is not more perfect, yet value can be ascribed to both.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the end of Test cricket at all," said a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been given some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team protected him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term futures, but something to build on.
Ultimately, this MCG win joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the team gathered on the turf to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
