Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a vibrant pink suit worn by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a success.
Perhaps you don't appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are poor.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If the format is a form of art, the strip is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which produced a triumph and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, causing a cascade of wickets falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are particularly captivating because of the patience committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The True Test
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the contest was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered a long drought that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, impetus when the top order responded, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a Test there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – both are not the standard, yet value can be ascribed to them.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," observed a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been experienced some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The players protected him, bringing back the joy to his persona.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to build on.
In the end, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters departed into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, men. You've earned this one.
