In a showcase on the upper level of the MCG rests a vibrant pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was considered a success.
You might not enjoy the performer. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are awful.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no one way to produce art or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the canvas on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
This is not a justification of the pitch which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting owing to the time devoted elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the wicket and responding appropriately. The best individual innings were made by world-class players. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the MCG, thousands waved their flags and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the fielding side surged, momentum when the top order responded, and pure joy when the victory was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a grind, with few wickets and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not the standard, yet significance can be attached to both.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the history books.
"It's not the demise of the format at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team responded for him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.
In the end, this triumph joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, men. You've earned this one.
