Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink ensemble worn by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of 100,024 spectators was hailed as a major hit.
It's possible you enjoy the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. You might take a reasonable stance, conceding that some hits 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 universal formula to produce literature or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by conditions.
The weather, the session, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the playing surface.
If the long game is a form of art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the great game taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Leaving a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the investment made in other matches.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more easily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the balance was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about adapting to challenges – reading the conditions and adapting appropriately. The best individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the supporters who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.
There was belief as the fielding side surged, impetus when batters scored quickly, and pure joy when the result was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has a history with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be found in them.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the death of the format at all," said a former player. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The squad delivered for him, bringing back the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but something to build on.
In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the field to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.
