In a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a neon pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a triumph.
You might not enjoy the performer. 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 excellent while others are poor.
The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no one way to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by the environment.
The climate, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the canvas on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the great game dismantled and reassembled in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which produced a triumph and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Allowing a thick layer on the wicket, causing 36 wickets falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. Other times, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are particularly captivating because of the time committed in other matches.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were hindered from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the conditions and responding appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by world-class players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the fans who have experienced years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the ground, thousands made noise and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of national pride.
There was optimism as the fielding side dominated, advantage when players fought back, and rapturous celebration when the victory was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a marathon, with few wickets and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be found in them.
At this stage into the current series, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the memory.
"This isn't the demise of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The players responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad congregated on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
