In a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink outfit performed in by the pop star. The show in front of 100,024 fans was seen as a success.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The point being is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the wicket.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the canvas on which the players create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which produced a win and the second two-day Test of the series.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel 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.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling owing to the patience committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the conditions and adapting effectively. The top two individual innings were made by recognized batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the devotees who have endured a long drought that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a festive mood in a heartland of national pride.
There was belief as the bowlers dominated, impetus when batters scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. In the past, a Test there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that previous match are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the death of the format at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team responded for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents delivered with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this MCG win is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the field to begin their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
