In a display cabinet on the upper level of the MCG sits a electric pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of 100,024 fans was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some hits are excellent while others are awful.
The point being is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft art or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon external factors.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the pitch.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting due to the time committed in other matches.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the attack. That the top batters were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the conditions and adjusting appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged batters. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, momentum when the top order scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a game there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be attached to them.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the history books.
"This isn't the end of the format at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these short time have been given some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team delivered for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his persona.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a foundation to develop from.
At the very least, this MCG win is added to other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the turf to commence their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
