In a glass case on the upper level of the MCG sits a electric pink suit donned by the pop star. His performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some songs are belting while others are awful.
The central idea is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no one way to produce art or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on conditions.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which produced a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The format is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating because of the time made in other matches.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the conditions and adjusting appropriately. The best individual innings were made by recognized stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, producing a party atmosphere in a heartland of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, advantage when players responded, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a non-event.
That match was a grind, with few wickets and slow play. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the scale – both are not the standard, yet significance can be ascribed to both.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the death of the format at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but a foundation to build on.
At the very least, this MCG win joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans departed into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the field to begin their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, boys. You've earned this one.
