In a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a electric pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. The show in front of 100,024 fans was hailed as a major hit.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, conceding that some songs are excellent while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to create literature or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon the environment.
The elements, the session, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Most important is the wicket.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the pitch which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the contest.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are particularly captivating because of the time devoted during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are accepted more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the conditions and responding accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged players. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Try telling the devotees who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the MCG, thousands waved their flags and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers surged, advantage when the top order fought back, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the memory.
"It's not the end of the format at all," said a veteran. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these short time have been experienced some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The players protected him, restoring the joy to his persona.
Different players stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to secure long-term futures, but something to develop from.
In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the team gathered on the outfield to start their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, lads. You've earned this one.
