Displayed inside a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink ensemble worn by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of 100,024 fans was considered a major hit.
Perhaps you don't like Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The key argument is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft music or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The climate, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the wicket.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the players craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Sometimes, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the time devoted during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the conditions and adapting effectively. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the fans who have endured a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the MCG, thousands waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the fielding side dominated, momentum when the top order fought back, and rapturous celebration when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and endless boredom. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet significance can be attached to them.
At this stage into the current series, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the end of the format at all," said a veteran. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these two days have been given some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team delivered for him, restoring the smile to his face.
New faces performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to secure long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.
In the end, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players gathered on the turf to begin their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, lads. You've earned this one.
