Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the MCG sits a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by the entertainer. The concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't like Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The central idea is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to create art or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by the environment.
The elements, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the surface which produced a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, resulting in 36 wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and ongoing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting owing to the time made during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the best players were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the situation and adapting effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the bowlers surged, momentum when players scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to them.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the death of the long game at all," said a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The players responded for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents stepped up with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to secure long-term futures, but something to build on.
Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, men. It's well deserved.
