In a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a electric pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was considered a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, conceding that some songs are belting while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce literature or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum 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 external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the wicket.
If the long game is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the players craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the pitch which resulted in a win and the another short match of the contest.
Allowing a thick layer on the pitch, causing 36 wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling owing to the time devoted during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are tolerated more freely than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the conditions and responding appropriately. The best individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the MCG, thousands made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, advantage when players scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with controversial surfaces. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the scale – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to them.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.
"Far from being the demise of Test cricket at all," observed a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the smile to his face.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term stability, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win joins other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the team gathered on the field to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.
