Displayed inside a display cabinet on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. The show in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a major hit.
Perhaps you don't appreciate his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some songs are fantastic while others are awful.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no one way to create music or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the wicket.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which produced a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling due to the patience devoted in other matches.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from playing their natural game.
The format is about finding solutions – assessing the situation and responding effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and sang their songs, generating a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, advantage when players responded, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with pitch problems. In the past, a game there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the memory.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these short time have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The squad delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players stepped up with key contributions. These are baby steps, hardly enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to build on.
At the very least, this triumph is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the team gathered on the outfield to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, men. You've earned this one.
