Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a neon pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, admitting that some hits are fantastic while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to craft music or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport broken apart and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
This is not a defence of the pitch which produced a triumph and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, resulting in 36 wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and still growing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling owing to the investment made during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Some factors are accepted more freely than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and adjusting accordingly. The best individual scores were made by recognized players. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the ground, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, generating a carnival vibe in a bastion of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, advantage when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the victory was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a strip with the excitement of a a non-event.
That match was a slog, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that previous match are polar opposites of the scale – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be found in them.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the joy to his face.
New faces stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, not nearly enough to ensure long-term success, but a foundation to build on.
In the end, this MCG win is added to other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd left into a beautiful night, the team assembled on the outfield to start their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
