Within a showcase on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a vibrant pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.
The key argument is that entertainment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no one way to create art or even Test 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 dependent on the environment.
The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the wicket.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the foundation on which the players create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the pitch which yielded a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Leaving a thick layer on the pitch, leading to numerous dismissals tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: 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 rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the time made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are tolerated more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the conditions and responding effectively. The best individual scores were made by acknowledged stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the devotees who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands celebrated and chanted, producing a festive mood in a stronghold of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, advantage when players scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a strip with the excitement of a a non-event.
That match was a grind, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – both are not the standard, yet value can be attached to each.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the demise of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been privileged to see these two days have been given some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The team responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to build on.
Ultimately, this triumph is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the turf to start their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
