Within a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink outfit worn by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of 100,024 fans was considered a major hit.
Perhaps you don't like the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create art or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the hour of play, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is a form of art, the strip is the foundation on which the athletes create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having 10mm of grass on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting due to the patience committed during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the situation and responding accordingly. The best individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the supporters who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, momentum when the top order responded, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not the standard, yet significance can be ascribed to them.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the history books.
"Far from being the demise of the format at all," said a veteran. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team responded for him, bringing back the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with crucial roles. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to use as a platform.
In the end, this triumph takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the team assembled on the outfield to commence their own festivities.
Savour the moment, men. You've earned this one.
