Within a display cabinet on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a neon pink ensemble worn by Robbie Williams. The show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate his music. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music in history. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are belting while others are awful.
The central idea is that entertainment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no one way to craft music or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.
The climate, the hour of play, the ball – the list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the athletes craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and still growing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the investment committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Certain variables are accepted more easily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the wicket and responding accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the fans who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the ground, a sea of people celebrated and sang their songs, fostering a festive mood in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, momentum when batters responded, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – both are not perfect, yet significance can be attached to them.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the death of the long game at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team protected him, bringing back the joy to his persona.
Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
In the end, this MCG win is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd left into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the turf to start their own festivities.
Savour the moment, men. You've earned this one.
