In a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG rests a electric pink suit worn by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a triumph.
You might not appreciate the performer. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are awful.
The point being is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft literature or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the session, the ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the pitch.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport broken apart and reassembled in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the pitch which yielded a victory and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating owing to the time committed during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Some factors are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were prevented from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the wicket and responding effectively. The top two individual contributions were made by world-class players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the stadium, thousands made noise and chanted, producing a party atmosphere in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the attack dominated, advantage when players scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with few wickets and slow play. The two-day game and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the scale – both are not perfect, yet significance can be found in both.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the end of Test cricket at all," observed a former player. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been experienced some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The squad responded for him, bringing back the smile to his face.
Emerging talents performed with vital performances. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a beautiful night, the squad congregated on the outfield to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
