Displayed inside a showcase on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a electric pink outfit performed in by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. You might think he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The central idea is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft music or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the pitch.
If the long game is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the surface which yielded a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, leading to 36 wickets being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the time devoted during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the wicket and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the stadium, thousands celebrated and chanted, generating a festive mood in a heartland of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, impetus when players fought back, and pure joy when the result was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – one is not more ideal, yet significance can be attached to both.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the memory.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The squad delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces performed with vital performances. These are small positives, not nearly enough to ensure long-term success, but a foundation to develop from.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the fans departed into a stunning sunset, the squad congregated on the field to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
