Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the MCG sits a neon pink ensemble donned by the pop star. The performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was considered a major hit.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the ultimate present to music known to man. You might take a reasonable stance, conceding that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The central idea is that amusement can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is not a single method to create art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon external factors.
The climate, the session, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the strip is the canvas on which the athletes create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reassembled in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the wicket, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the time committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Some factors are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from playing their natural game.
The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the conditions and adjusting effectively. The top two individual innings were made by recognized players. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the stadium, thousands celebrated and chanted, producing a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, impetus when batters scored quickly, and unconditional love when the result was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a wicket with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a slog, with few wickets and slow play. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – both are not perfect, yet value can be ascribed to them.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The players protected him, restoring the joy to his countenance.
Different players performed with vital performances. These are small positives, not nearly enough to secure long-term stability, but something to use as a platform.
In the end, this triumph joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the team assembled on the field to start their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, men. This victory was hard-fought.
