In a glass case on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink outfit performed in by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of a massive crowd of spectators was considered a triumph.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are awful.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no one way to create art or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the established format taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
This is not a justification of the wicket which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the surface, causing 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling due to the time committed in other matches.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Some factors are embraced more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was skewed excessively 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 adjusting effectively. The best individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, generating a festive mood in a bastion of sport.
There was optimism as the attack excelled, momentum when the top order responded, and unconditional love when the win was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be found in each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"Far from being the demise of the long game at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The team delivered for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his persona.
Different players delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but something to develop from.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the field to commence their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, men. You've earned this one.
