Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a electric pink suit performed in by the pop star. His performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was seen as a triumph.
You might not appreciate Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music in history. Or you could adopt a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are belting while others are awful.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to create 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 dependent on conditions.
The weather, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Most important is the wicket.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, causing 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling because of the time made during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more freely than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the best players were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the situation and adapting appropriately. The best individual contributions were made by world-class players. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the MCG, thousands waved their flags and created an atmosphere, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the attack dominated, advantage when batters responded, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has a history with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be found in both.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The players delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this triumph joins other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team assembled on the field to start their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, lads. It's well deserved.
