In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a vibrant pink outfit worn by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music in history. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are awful.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to create music or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on external factors.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and reassembled in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the time devoted in other matches.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – reading the situation and adapting appropriately. The best individual contributions were made by acknowledged stars. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Try telling the devotees who have experienced years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the stadium, countless fans celebrated and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side excelled, momentum when players fought back, and pure joy when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has form with pitch problems. In the past, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – both are not the standard, yet value can be found in each.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of the format at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The team protected him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory is added to other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players assembled on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
