In a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of 100,024 spectators was considered a success.
You might not like Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a reasonable stance, admitting that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.
The point being is that amusement can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
This is not a justification of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, resulting in numerous dismissals tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating due to the patience devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the conditions and adjusting effectively. The top two individual scores were made by recognized stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the fielding side dominated, advantage when batters scored quickly, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has a history with controversial surfaces. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – neither the standard, yet significance can be found in both.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the memory.
"Far from being the demise of the long game at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The players delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.
In the end, this triumph is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the turf to begin their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.
