Within a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a vibrant pink suit donned by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't like his music. You might think he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, acknowledging that some hits are excellent while others are awful.
The point being is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.
The elements, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the wicket.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the pitch which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the time devoted elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Some factors are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the situation and responding appropriately. The best individual scores were made by world-class batters. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the supporters who have endured a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, producing a festive mood in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, advantage when the top order fought back, and rapturous celebration when the win was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with pitch problems. In the past, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. The two-day game and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the range – one is not more ideal, yet value can be attached to both.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The team protected him, restoring the smile to his persona.
Different players stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
At the very least, this triumph joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players assembled on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. It's well deserved.
