Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink suit performed in by the entertainer. His concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to produce music or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon the environment.
The elements, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having excessive grass on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the time committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The True Test
Certain variables are accepted more easily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and adjusting appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class players. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the devotees who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers surged, momentum when players fought back, and pure joy when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither the standard, yet significance can be attached to them.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," observed a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents stepped up with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but a foundation to develop from.
Ultimately, this triumph joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd left into a beautiful night, the team gathered on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. It's well deserved.
