In a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG is housed a electric pink ensemble donned by the pop star. His performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a major hit.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. You might take a reasonable stance, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The point being is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is not a single method to create music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on conditions.
The climate, the hour of play, the ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the strip is the blank slate on which the players create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the great game dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a win and the another short match of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the surface, leading to 36 wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling due to the time committed elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are accepted more freely than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were prevented from showcasing their talents.
The format is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and responding appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class players. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, thousands made noise and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.
There was belief as the fielding side surged, momentum when batters scored quickly, and pure joy when the result was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and endless boredom. The two-day game and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the scale – one is not more ideal, yet value can be found in each.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the end of Test cricket at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The squad protected him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his persona.
Different players performed with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to ensure long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
In the end, this Melbourne victory is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the field to start their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, boys. It's well deserved.
