Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the MCG sits a electric pink outfit worn by the pop star. His concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, admitting that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The point being is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create music or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and reassembled in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the pitch which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the series.
Having excessive grass on the pitch, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The format is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling owing to the time committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are embraced more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the wicket and responding appropriately. The best individual contributions were made by world-class batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the stadium, countless fans made noise and chanted, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was optimism as the attack excelled, momentum when batters fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a match there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be ascribed to them.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"Far from being the death of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been given some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The players responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces stepped up with key contributions. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players assembled on the field to begin their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, men. This victory was hard-fought.
