In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a neon pink outfit performed in by the pop star. His performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was seen as a triumph.
You might not like Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some songs are excellent while others are terrible.
The point being is that amusement can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is not a single method to craft music or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.
The weather, the session, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the playing surface.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and reconstructed 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 pitch, resulting in numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating because of the patience committed during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Some factors are tolerated more freely than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.
The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the conditions and adapting accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have endured a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the MCG, thousands waved their flags and chanted, producing a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, advantage when players responded, and unconditional love when the victory was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a Test there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with few wickets and slow play. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.
"This isn't the end of Test cricket at all," commented a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his persona.
Emerging talents stepped up with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to develop from.
At the very least, this triumph joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players gathered on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, lads. It's well deserved.
