Displayed inside a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a electric pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was hailed as a success.
You might not enjoy the performer. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some songs are excellent while others are awful.
The point being is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to craft music or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by external factors.
The weather, the session, the ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the canvas on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, leading to numerous dismissals tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling because of the patience made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are accepted more freely than others.
The argument in during the match was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
The format is about problem solving – reading the situation and adjusting accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by recognized stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, momentum when players fought back, and pure joy when the win was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – one is not more ideal, yet value can be ascribed to each.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"This isn't the death of the format at all," said a past champion. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, reinstating the smile to his persona.
Different players performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the field to begin their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.
