Within a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink outfit worn by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of 100,024 spectators was considered a success.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are poor.
The central idea is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to produce art or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by external factors.
The elements, the hour of play, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the pitch.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport taken to pieces and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Allowing a thick layer on the wicket, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the time committed during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Certain variables are accepted more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.
The format is about adapting to challenges – assessing the situation and responding accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by world-class batters. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the stadium, countless fans celebrated and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the attack dominated, impetus when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the result was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the scale – both are not perfect, yet historical weight can be attached to them.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the memory.
"This isn't the end of the format at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph joins other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad assembled on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. It's well deserved.
