In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't like his music. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, conceding that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.
The central idea is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft music or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on the environment.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the playing surface.
If the format is a form of art, the strip is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the established format broken apart and stuck back together in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are embraced more easily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and responding accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged players. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the fans who have experienced 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, producing a festive mood in a stronghold of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers dominated, advantage when players scored quickly, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has form with pitch problems. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a slog, with few wickets and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not the standard, yet value can be found in both.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the death of the long game at all," observed a past champion. "Fans who have been privileged to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The squad protected him, restoring the smile to his face.
Emerging talents delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the turf to commence their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, boys. It's well deserved.
