In a showcase on the upper level of the MCG sits a vibrant pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of 100,024 attendees was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The point being is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce art or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the strip is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the surface which yielded a win and the second two-day Test of the series.
Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, leading to 36 wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and ongoing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the patience committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and responding accordingly. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the devotees who have suffered 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the stadium, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.
There was optimism as the attack dominated, momentum when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a non-event.
That fixture was a grind, with few wickets and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the end of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been experienced some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the smile to his persona.
New faces delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to build on.
In the end, this MCG win joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans departed into a stunning sunset, the players congregated on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, men. You've earned this one.
