Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a electric pink suit worn by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a triumph.
You might not enjoy his music. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some hits are excellent while others are awful.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no one way to craft literature or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The climate, the session, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in abstract form.
This is not a defence of the surface which yielded a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Allowing excessive grass on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the patience committed elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the conditions and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class batters. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and sang their songs, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the attack dominated, impetus when the top order responded, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has a history with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a match there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the range – both are not ideal, yet significance can be attached to them.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," said a past champion. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been experienced some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the joy to his face.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players gathered on the outfield to start their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
