In a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a vibrant pink suit donned by Robbie Williams. The show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was considered a triumph.
You might not enjoy the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music known to man. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on the environment.
The climate, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the long game is art, the strip is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the pitch which produced a triumph and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are particularly captivating due to the investment made during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and adjusting accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by recognized players. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the attack excelled, advantage when the top order fought back, and pure joy when the win was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a a non-event.
That match was a slog, with few wickets and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet historical weight can be found in each.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," commented a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players performed with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but a starting point to build on.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players congregated on the outfield to start their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, men. This victory was hard-fought.
