Displayed inside a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a vibrant pink suit donned by the entertainer. His concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a triumph.
You might not like Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are awful.
The point being is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to create art or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on the environment.
The elements, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.
If the format is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport broken apart and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.
Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in 36 wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting because of the investment committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Certain variables are embraced more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the top batters were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the conditions and responding effectively. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged batters. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have experienced 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans waved their flags and sang their songs, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of national pride.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, impetus when the top order responded, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet significance can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The team delivered for him, reinstating the joy to his persona.
New faces performed with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this MCG win is added to other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team congregated on the turf to begin their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, lads. You've earned this one.
