In a showcase on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a major hit.
It's possible you like his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create literature or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the strip is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the surface which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the patience made in other matches.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are accepted more freely than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were hindered from playing their natural game.
The format is about problem solving – assessing the wicket and responding appropriately. The best individual innings were made by recognized stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have endured years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and chanted, generating a party atmosphere in a heartland of national pride.
There was optimism as the fielding side excelled, momentum when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has a history with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet value can be found in both.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.
"Far from being the death of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The players responded for him, restoring the smile to his persona.
Emerging talents performed with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
In the end, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans departed into a beautiful night, the squad gathered on the field to commence their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, boys. It's well deserved.
