Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink ensemble worn by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was seen as a success.
It's possible you appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft music or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.
The weather, the session, the ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the wicket.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which produced a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting because of the time committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the top batters were unable from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – reading the situation and adapting appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized batters. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the fans who have suffered a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and sang their songs, producing a carnival vibe in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the fielding side dominated, momentum when the top order fought back, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. Previously, a game there featured a strip with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the scale – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be ascribed to each.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the death of the long game at all," said a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team protected him, restoring the smile to his persona.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, hardly enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, men. You've earned this one.