Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a success.
Perhaps you don't like Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are awful.
The point being is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft music or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the players create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport dismantled and reassembled in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Having a thick layer on the pitch, causing 36 wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The format is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and counting. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting due to the time committed during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the conditions and adjusting effectively. The best individual contributions were made by recognized stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the ground, thousands waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers excelled, momentum when batters scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are extreme ends of the range – both are not the standard, yet value can be attached to both.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of the format at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The players responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to develop from.
At the very least, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team congregated on the outfield to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.
