Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the MCG rests a neon pink suit worn by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of 100,024 attendees was considered a triumph.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to create literature or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the players create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
This is not a defence of the pitch which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, resulting in numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating because of the patience made elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Some factors are embraced more easily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the situation and adjusting accordingly. The best individual contributions were made by acknowledged players. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, impetus when the top order scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the win was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and endless boredom. The two-day game and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the range – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be ascribed to them.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the history books.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," said a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some real entertainment. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The players delivered for him, restoring the joy to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but something to develop from.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, men. It's well deserved.
