In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a vibrant pink outfit worn by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a success.
Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. You might take a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on conditions.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the strip is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in abstract form.
This is not a justification of the wicket which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Allowing a thick layer on the pitch, leading to 36 wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The long game is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the time made in other matches.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Specific conditions are accepted more easily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the situation and responding effectively. The best individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the supporters who have endured years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans celebrated and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was optimism as the fielding side surged, advantage when players responded, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a non-event.
That contest was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be found in both.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"Far from being the demise of Test cricket at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The team protected him, reinstating the smile to his persona.
Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to build on.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd slipped away into a beautiful night, the team assembled on the field to begin their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
