Within a glass case on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink outfit donned by the pop star. The concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a major hit.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The central idea is that entertainment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to create art or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the playing surface.
If the format is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. Other times, 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 because of the investment committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the conditions and adjusting appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the devotees who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the ground, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a festive mood in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the attack surged, momentum when batters fought back, and pure joy when the victory was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the spectrum – both are not the standard, yet significance can be found in both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," observed a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team protected him, bringing back the smile to his face.
New faces delivered with key contributions. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but something to develop from.
Ultimately, this MCG win joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd left into a stunning sunset, the team assembled on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
