Within a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG sits a neon pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. The show in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you like the performer. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are excellent while others are terrible.
The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft literature or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the wicket.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the pitch which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the series.
Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the time made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from playing their natural game.
The format is about finding solutions – assessing the situation and adapting appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by world-class batters. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the bowlers dominated, momentum when players fought back, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the end of the format at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The squad responded for him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
Different players performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to build on.
In the end, this triumph takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the field to begin their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
