Within a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a vibrant pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a triumph.
You might not appreciate his music. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft literature or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by external factors.
The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the wicket.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
This is not a justification of the surface which yielded a victory and the another short match of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the pitch, leading to numerous dismissals falling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting because of the investment made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from playing their natural game.
The format is about problem solving – assessing the wicket and adjusting appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the stadium, thousands celebrated and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a bastion of sport.
There was belief as the fielding side surged, advantage when the top order responded, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has a history with controversial surfaces. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the range – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the quick finishes 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 lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The players protected him, restoring the smile to his persona.
Different players delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans left into a beautiful night, the team congregated on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.
