Within a display cabinet on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a neon pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a triumph.
It's possible you enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some songs are excellent while others are terrible.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce literature or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by external factors.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the foundation on which the players craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and reconstructed in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the surface, leading to 36 wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the investment made during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and responding accordingly. The two highest individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the ground, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the attack excelled, momentum when the top order scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the victory was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be found in each.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the end of the format at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The team responded for him, restoring the joy to his persona.
New faces stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to build on.
In the end, this MCG win joins other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the field to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.
