Displayed inside a showcase on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a neon pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of 100,024 attendees was considered a success.
It's possible you enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.
The central idea is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by the environment.
The climate, the hour of play, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Allowing a thick layer on the wicket, causing numerous dismissals falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The long game is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting due to the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The True Test
Certain variables are tolerated more freely than others.
The contention in during the match was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – assessing the wicket and responding accordingly. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class batters. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the stadium, thousands made noise and chanted, generating a festive mood in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the attack excelled, advantage when players fought back, and pure joy when the result was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet significance can be found in each.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the memory.
"This isn't the end of the format at all," said a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The players protected him, bringing back the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents delivered with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to build on.
Ultimately, this triumph is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad gathered on the turf to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
