In a glass case on the upper level of the MCG sits a electric pink suit donned by the entertainer. The show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a success.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a balanced view, acknowledging that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The point being is that amusement can take many forms. You like what you like. There is not a single method to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The elements, the session, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the wicket.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
This is not a justification of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the contest.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The format is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are all the more thrilling owing to the time made elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Some factors are embraced more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and adjusting accordingly. The best individual innings were made by recognized players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, momentum when batters fought back, and pure joy when the victory was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a a non-event.
That contest was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the demise of the format at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these short time have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the smile to his countenance.
Different players delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term success, but something to build on.
In the end, this MCG win joins other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
