Within a showcase on the upper level of the MCG sits a electric pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a massive crowd of spectators was considered a triumph.
It's possible you enjoy the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, admitting that some hits are belting while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create art or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on conditions.
The elements, the session, the ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the established format taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the wicket, resulting in a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating due to the time committed during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and adapting appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, generating a festive mood in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the attack dominated, momentum when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the victory was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – neither the standard, yet significance can be found in each.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The players responded for him, reinstating the joy to his face.
New faces delivered with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term stability, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory joins other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a beautiful night, the team assembled on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.
