Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a vibrant pink suit worn by the pop star. His show in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a major hit.
You might not appreciate Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is not a single method to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the wicket.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the strip is the canvas on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
This is not a justification of the wicket which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in numerous dismissals tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and ongoing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are all the more thrilling owing to the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are tolerated more freely than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the situation and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized players. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have suffered a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the stadium, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the fielding side dominated, momentum when batters responded, and unconditional love when the victory was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has form with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a grind, with limited drama and slow play. The two-day game and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither the standard, yet significance can be attached to both.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the memory.
"It's not the end of the long game at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been experienced some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The team responded for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents performed with crucial roles. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this triumph joins other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters departed into a beautiful night, the team congregated on the turf to commence their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
