Displayed inside a showcase on the elevated floor of the MCG rests a vibrant pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. His show in front of a massive crowd of attendees was hailed as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't like Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some songs are belting while others are awful.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by external factors.
The weather, the session, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport dismantled and reassembled in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the wicket, causing 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the time committed elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are embraced more freely than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the balance was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from playing their natural game.
The format is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and responding effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by recognized players. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans made noise and chanted, producing a festive mood in a heartland of national pride.
There was optimism as the attack surged, impetus when the top order responded, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That contest was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – one is not more perfect, yet significance can be attached to each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of Test cricket at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The team delivered for him, restoring the joy to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term success, but a foundation to build on.
At the very least, this MCG win is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters left into a beautiful night, the squad assembled on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
