Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the MCG sits a vibrant pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a success.
You might not like Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, admitting that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce art or even Test 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 reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the blank slate on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
This is not a defence of the wicket which produced a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The long game is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are particularly captivating because of the time committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and responding appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and sang their songs, producing a festive mood in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the fielding side surged, momentum when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That match was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the range – one is not more ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the demise of Test cricket at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The players delivered for him, reinstating the smile to his face.
Emerging talents performed with vital performances. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to ensure long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the field to start their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
