Within a showcase on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink outfit donned by the pop star. His performance in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a success.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some songs are excellent while others are terrible.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by conditions.
The elements, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is art, the strip is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which yielded a win and the another short match of the contest.
Leaving excessive grass on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, a long history and ongoing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the patience made in other matches.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in Melbourne 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 adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and responding appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by recognized batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the fans who have suffered a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the MCG, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, fostering a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers dominated, momentum when batters responded, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. In the past, a game there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither ideal, yet significance can be ascribed to each.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the memory.
"Far from being the demise of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The players delivered for him, reinstating the joy to his countenance.
Emerging talents performed with key contributions. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this triumph joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the field to begin their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
