Within a glass case on the upper level of the MCG rests a neon pink suit donned by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music known to man. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some songs are excellent while others are awful.
The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is not a single method to produce literature or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by conditions.
The weather, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the pitch.
If the format is a form of art, the wicket is the foundation on which the players create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
This is not a justification of the pitch which produced a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Having a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the patience made in other matches.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the best players were unable from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about problem solving – reading the situation and adjusting effectively. The best individual contributions were made by acknowledged stars. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the fans who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the ground, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.
There was belief as the fielding side dominated, advantage when batters responded, and unconditional love when the result was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That fixture was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet value can be attached to them.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the end of the format at all," observed a veteran. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces performed with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
At the very least, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
