Displayed inside a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a neon pink outfit donned by the pop star. The 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. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to create literature or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by conditions.
The elements, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the canvas on which the players 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 dismantled and stuck back together in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which resulted in a victory and the second two-day Test of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, resulting in numerous dismissals tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the patience made in other matches.
Adjustment: The True Test
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the top batters were prevented from showcasing their talents.
The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the conditions and responding accordingly. The top two individual scores were made by recognized batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the devotees who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the MCG, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, fostering a festive mood in a heartland of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, advantage when players responded, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with limited drama and slow play. This recent match and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – both are not perfect, yet significance can be attached to both.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the history books.
"This isn't the death of the format at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The squad responded for him, bringing back the joy to his countenance.
Different players performed with vital performances. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to ensure long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this triumph joins other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the team congregated on the turf to begin their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, men. You've earned this one.
