In a glass case on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a neon pink outfit performed in by the entertainer. His performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are belting while others are awful.
The point being is that amusement can take many forms. You like what you like. There is not a single method to create literature or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by the environment.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the foundation on which the cricketers create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, 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 yielded a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the pitch, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are particularly captivating due to the patience devoted in other matches.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in during the match 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 finding solutions – reading the conditions and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged batters. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the devotees who have suffered 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the MCG, thousands celebrated and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, advantage when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the result was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a match there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither the standard, yet historical weight can be found in them.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.
"This isn't the demise of the long game at all," commented a former player. "Fans who have been privileged to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The squad protected him, bringing back the joy to his persona.
Different players performed with vital performances. These are small positives, not nearly enough to secure long-term stability, but a starting point to develop from.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory is added to other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd left into a beautiful night, the squad assembled on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
