Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a major hit.
It's possible you like Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some hits are belting while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to create literature or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon external factors.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the pitch.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the canvas on which the athletes create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which yielded a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the wicket, leading to numerous dismissals tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling owing to the time committed in other matches.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are accepted more easily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the balance was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the wicket and responding appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the attack dominated, impetus when batters scored quickly, and pure joy when the result was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be ascribed to each.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the memory.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The team responded for him, reinstating the smile to his persona.
Emerging talents performed with key contributions. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to develop from.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the turf to start their own festivities.
Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.
