Displayed inside a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a success.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are awful.
The central idea is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce music or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The elements, the session, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and stuck back together in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Allowing a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling due to the investment devoted elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are accepted more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about problem solving – interpreting the wicket and adjusting effectively. The best individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the stadium, thousands celebrated and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a heartland of national pride.
There was belief as the bowlers dominated, momentum when batters fought back, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be attached to them.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," said a past champion. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team delivered for him, reinstating the joy to his countenance.
Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but something to develop from.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans departed into a stunning sunset, the team gathered on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
