Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a neon pink suit donned by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The central idea is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft literature or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.
The elements, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the pitch.
If the format is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which yielded a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the wicket, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The format is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling owing to the investment made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about finding solutions – reading the conditions and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by world-class stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the attack surged, advantage when the top order responded, and unconditional love when the win was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. The two-day game and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet value can be attached to both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the death of the format at all," observed a former player. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been experienced some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The players responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to build on.
At the very least, this MCG win joins other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players gathered on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
