In a showcase on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink suit worn by the entertainer. The show in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are fantastic while others are terrible.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is not a single method to create literature or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.
The elements, the time of day, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.
If the long game is a form of art, the strip is the canvas on which the players paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The long game is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling because of the patience committed during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were hindered from playing their natural game.
The format is about adapting to challenges – assessing the conditions and adjusting appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by world-class batters. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a bastion of sport.
There was belief as the attack dominated, momentum when players fought back, and unconditional love when the win was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has form with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – neither the standard, yet value can be found in each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of the long game at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The team responded for him, reinstating the smile to his persona.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
In the end, this triumph is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the outfield to commence their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, boys. You've earned this one.
