Displayed inside a glass case on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a electric pink ensemble worn by the entertainer. His concert in front of a massive crowd of fans was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are terrible.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the canvas on which the players craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which yielded a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the patience committed during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are tolerated more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were prevented from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the wicket and responding appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, producing a party atmosphere in a heartland of national pride.
There was belief as the bowlers dominated, impetus when the top order fought back, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – neither the standard, yet significance can be attached to them.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "The people who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team delivered for him, reinstating the smile to his persona.
Emerging talents performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term stability, but a starting point to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the field to start their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
