Displayed inside a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG rests a electric pink ensemble donned by the pop star. His performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a major hit.
You might not like Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, conceding that some songs are belting while others are awful.
The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce literature or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The climate, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the players create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the surface which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting due to the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were unable from playing their natural game.
The format is about finding solutions – reading the conditions and responding appropriately. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the fans who have endured years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was optimism as the attack dominated, advantage when batters scored quickly, and pure joy when the victory was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet value can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the current series, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the memory.
"This isn't the demise of the long game at all," observed a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The players delivered for him, bringing back the smile to his face.
New faces stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to secure long-term success, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this triumph joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans departed into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the field to commence their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, lads. It's well deserved.
