In a glass case on the third floor of the MCG rests a neon pink ensemble performed in by the entertainer. His performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music in history. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The central idea is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on external factors.
The weather, the session, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the format is a form of art, the strip is the foundation on which the athletes craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
This is not a defence of the pitch which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Having excessive grass on the surface, causing 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are all the more thrilling due to the investment made elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.
The format is about problem solving – assessing the situation and responding effectively. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the devotees who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and sang their songs, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, momentum when players fought back, and unconditional love when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – neither the standard, yet value can be found in each.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "The people 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 preparation to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The players delivered for him, bringing back the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to develop from.
In the end, this triumph joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players gathered on the turf to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.
