Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink outfit performed in by Robbie Williams. The show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't like the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music in history. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no one way to craft music or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon the environment.
The elements, the hour of play, the ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in abstract form.
This is not a defence of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having a thick layer on the wicket, causing numerous dismissals falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the patience made elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the conditions and adapting effectively. The top two individual innings were made by recognized players. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side dominated, impetus when players responded, and rapturous celebration when the victory was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.
That fixture was a grind, with few wickets and endless boredom. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more ideal, yet historical weight can be found in both.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the history books.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," said a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these short time have been given some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The squad responded for him, bringing back the smile to his face.
New faces stepped up with key contributions. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a foundation to build on.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the turf to start their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, men. You've earned this one.
