In a glass case on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a vibrant pink ensemble donned by the pop star. His concert in front of 100,024 fans was hailed as a major hit.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are awful.
The central idea is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft literature or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which yielded a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having a thick layer on the wicket, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and counting. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating due to the investment committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are accepted more freely than others.
The argument in during the match was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the top batters were hindered from playing their natural game.
The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and responding effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the devotees who have endured a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and created an atmosphere, producing a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was optimism as the fielding side excelled, impetus when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be ascribed to them.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the memory.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The squad protected him, reinstating the smile to his persona.
Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the team gathered on the turf to begin their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
