In a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a electric pink ensemble worn by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a major hit.
You might not like Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft literature or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.
The climate, the session, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the wicket.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and reassembled in an unusual manner.
This is not a justification of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, a long history and ongoing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting due to the patience made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the best players were unable from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and adapting accordingly. The best individual scores were made by recognized players. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the ground, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of national pride.
There was hope as the attack excelled, advantage when players fought back, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a slog, with few wickets and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the range – one is not more perfect, yet value can be found in both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The squad responded for him, restoring the joy to his countenance.
New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to secure long-term stability, but a foundation to develop from.
At the very least, this triumph is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players congregated on the field to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, men. It's well deserved.
