In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a electric pink suit worn by the pop star. His performance in front of 100,024 attendees was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.
The point being is that amusement can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to produce music or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the wicket.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Having a thick layer on the pitch, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. Sometimes, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling because of the patience made during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and responding accordingly. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have endured a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the MCG, thousands celebrated and sang their songs, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the fielding side dominated, momentum when the top order responded, and pure joy when the result was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – neither perfect, yet value can be attached to each.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," said a past champion. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The squad responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
Different players delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to build on.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the field to start their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, men. It's well deserved.
