In a glass case on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a vibrant pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, conceding that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.
The central idea is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the time of day, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in abstract form.
This is not a defence of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, leading to 36 wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the time made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the situation and responding accordingly. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the ground, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, producing a festive mood in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, momentum when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are extreme ends of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be found in both.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the death of the long game at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team responded for him, restoring the joy to his face.
Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to develop from.
Ultimately, this triumph is added to other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad assembled on the outfield to start their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
