Within a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a vibrant pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of 100,024 spectators was hailed as a success.
It's possible you enjoy his music. You might think he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce literature or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by external factors.
The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the long game is art, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the great game dismantled and reassembled in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which produced a victory and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Having a thick layer on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and still growing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting due to the time made during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the conditions and adjusting accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the ground, thousands made noise and chanted, producing a festive mood in a bastion of national pride.
There was belief as the bowlers dominated, momentum when players responded, and pure joy when the victory was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with limited drama and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – one is not more perfect, yet value can be attached to each.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"It's not the demise of the format at all," observed a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, bringing back the joy to his face.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to ensure long-term success, but a starting point to build on.
Ultimately, this triumph is added to other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans left into a beautiful night, the team assembled on the outfield to commence their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
