Within a glass case on the third floor of the MCG rests a electric pink suit worn by the pop star. The concert in front of 100,024 fans was hailed as a major hit.
It's possible you enjoy Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a balanced view, admitting that some songs are belting while others are terrible.
The point being is that amusement can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by external factors.
The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the long game is a form of art, the strip is the foundation on which the players create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the surface which yielded a victory and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Having excessive grass on the pitch, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and ongoing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating due to the patience made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The True Test
Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were prevented from showcasing their talents.
The format is about adapting to challenges – assessing the situation and adjusting accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged players. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people celebrated and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, momentum when players fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither the standard, yet value can be ascribed to both.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"Far from being the demise of the format at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The players protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
In the end, this MCG win is added to other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd left into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the field to start their own festivities.
Savour the moment, men. This victory was hard-fought.
