Within a display cabinet on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a neon pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. His performance in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a major hit.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. Or you could adopt a balanced view, acknowledging that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.
The climate, the hour of play, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Allowing a thick layer on the pitch, leading to 36 wickets falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The close matches are even more exciting due to the patience committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Some factors are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the conditions and adapting effectively. The best individual scores were made by world-class stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Try telling the devotees who have endured a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and sang their songs, fostering a festive mood in a heartland of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers surged, momentum when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. This recent match and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the range – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the end of the long game at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The team responded for him, restoring the smile to his persona.
New faces delivered with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to secure long-term stability, but a foundation to develop from.
At the very least, this triumph is added to other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans departed into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the field to commence their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, men. You've earned this one.
