Within a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a electric pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a triumph.
You might not enjoy his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music in history. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some songs are fantastic while others are awful.
The central idea is that amusement can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no one way to produce music or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on conditions.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which resulted in a win and the another short match of the series.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals being taken in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and ongoing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the investment committed in other matches.
Adjustment: The True Test
Certain variables are accepted more readily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and adjusting appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a bastion of sport.
There was belief as the attack excelled, momentum when batters fought back, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has form with pitch problems. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with few wickets 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 ascribed to both.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the history books.
"It's not the demise of the format at all," observed a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The squad protected him, bringing back the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents stepped up with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to build on.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory is added to other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the field to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
