Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the MCG sits a electric pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was hailed as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't appreciate his music. You might think he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are awful.
The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The climate, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.
If the format is art, the wicket is the canvas on which the players paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reconstructed in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which yielded a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the investment committed elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are accepted more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the conditions and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the fans who have experienced years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the ground, a sea of people made noise and sang their songs, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, impetus when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the result was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with difficult wickets. In the past, a Test there featured a strip with all the life of a a non-event.
That match was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. The two-day game and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be found in both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"Far from being the death of Test cricket at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these two days have been given some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The players responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, not nearly enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory joins other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd left into a stunning sunset, the team gathered on the field to start their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
