Within a glass case on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink suit performed in by the pop star. The concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a major hit.
You might not appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no one way to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by the environment.
The elements, the session, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the foundation on which the players create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and reconstructed in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which resulted in a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Allowing excessive grass on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting because of the patience devoted elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were prevented from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and responding accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, advantage when players scored quickly, and pure joy when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with few wickets and slow play. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be found in each.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the end of the format at all," observed a former player. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team protected him, bringing back the joy to his face.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.
In the end, this triumph takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd left into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
