Displayed inside a display cabinet on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a neon pink suit performed in by the pop star. The performance in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a success.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce music or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the canvas on which the players craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
This is not a defence of the pitch which produced a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having 10mm of grass on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating due to the patience committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Some factors are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the top batters were prevented from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the wicket and responding accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized players. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the fans who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the stadium, thousands celebrated and created an atmosphere, generating a festive mood in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, impetus when batters responded, and unconditional love when the result was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that slow Test are extreme ends of the scale – both are not perfect, yet significance can be attached to them.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.
"This isn't the demise of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The players delivered for him, reinstating the smile to his face.
New faces performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to use as a platform.
In the end, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd left into a beautiful night, the squad assembled on the outfield to begin their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
