Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink suit donned by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of 100,024 attendees was seen as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music known to man. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some tracks are fantastic while others are terrible.
The central idea is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to produce art or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by the environment.
The climate, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the long game is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the players craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the surface which yielded a triumph and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Allowing a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The format is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting owing to the investment made in other matches.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about finding solutions – reading the situation and adjusting appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by world-class players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the ground, a sea of people made noise and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the fielding side surged, momentum when the top order responded, and unconditional love when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a pitch with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with few wickets and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of the long game at all," said a past champion. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The squad protected him, bringing back the joy to his persona.
Different players performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad assembled on the outfield to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.