Within a showcase on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a neon pink outfit worn by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, conceding that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The key argument is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no one way to produce literature or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The elements, the time of day, the ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players 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 dismantled and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
This is not a defence of the wicket which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the series.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the surface, causing numerous dismissals falling in less than two days, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
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 incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting owing to the patience committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are accepted more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – assessing the conditions and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of national pride.
There was optimism as the attack dominated, impetus when the top order responded, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – both are not perfect, yet value can be ascribed to both.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," observed a former player. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The squad protected him, reinstating the joy to his face.
Emerging talents performed with key contributions. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but a starting point to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team assembled on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, boys. It's well deserved.
