Within a glass case on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink outfit performed in by the entertainer. The performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was considered a major hit.
It's possible you enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, conceding that some songs are fantastic while others are awful.
The point being is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the wicket.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the foundation on which the players create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a justification of the wicket which yielded a win and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the time made in other matches.
Adaptation: The True Test
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – reading the situation and responding appropriately. The best individual scores were made by recognized batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have endured a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the stadium, countless fans celebrated and sang their songs, generating a festive mood in a stronghold of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers surged, momentum when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with pitch problems. In the past, a Test there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the range – one is not more the standard, yet value can be found in them.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"Far from being the demise of the format at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The players delivered for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
At the very least, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players gathered on the turf to start their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, men. It's well deserved.
