Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the MCG rests a neon pink ensemble worn by Robbie Williams. His show in front of 100,024 spectators was hailed as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are belting while others are awful.
The point being is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to produce art or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon external factors.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the established format dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the series.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the surface, causing 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the time committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Some factors are accepted more freely than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized stars. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the MCG, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a carnival vibe in a heartland of national pride.
There was hope as the attack excelled, momentum when batters fought back, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to them.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," said a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The squad delivered for him, bringing back the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to develop from.
Ultimately, this triumph takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players congregated on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.
