Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink outfit worn by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was seen as a success.
You might not appreciate his music. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are fantastic while others are awful.
The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no one way to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by the environment.
The elements, the session, the ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the playing surface.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the foundation on which the athletes create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the established format dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.
Leaving a thick layer on the pitch, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the patience committed in other matches.
Adjustment: The True Test
Specific conditions are embraced more easily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were hindered from showcasing their talents.
The format is about finding solutions – assessing the situation and adapting effectively. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the MCG, thousands made noise and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, advantage when players scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the win was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a grind, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – one is not more perfect, yet significance can be found in them.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the memory.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
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 responded for him, reinstating the joy to his face.
Emerging talents performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to develop from.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory joins other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the field to start their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, men. This victory was hard-fought.
