Displayed inside a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a vibrant pink suit donned by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was seen as a success.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some hits are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on the environment.
The climate, the hour of play, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the surface which yielded a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, resulting in 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the time committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Some factors are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the situation and adjusting accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers surged, advantage when players scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the win was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – neither ideal, yet significance can be attached to them.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of the long game at all," observed a veteran. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team protected him, bringing back the joy to his face.
Emerging talents performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
At the very least, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, lads. You've earned this one.
