In a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink outfit performed in by the entertainer. His performance in front of 100,024 fans was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't like Robbie Williams. You might think he is the ultimate present to music known to man. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is not a single method to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the time of day, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the players create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.
Having excessive grass on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are particularly captivating because of the patience committed elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Some factors are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the best players were unable from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the wicket and adapting appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by world-class batters. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, advantage when the top order responded, and unconditional love when the victory was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. The two-day game and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – neither ideal, yet value can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"Far from being the death of the long game at all," commented a former player. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these short time have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The team protected him, bringing back the smile to his persona.
New faces performed with vital performances. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to ensure long-term success, but something to build on.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, boys. You've earned this one.
